


Wir Werden Uns Wiedersehen

by lionhart



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 1940s, AU, Alternate Universe - 1940s, Alternate Universe - World War II, Angst, Drama, F/F, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Plot, Pregnancy, Romance, Sexual Content, Smut, WWII, War, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-10 20:45:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 106,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1164338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionhart/pseuds/lionhart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Childhood sweethearts Armin Arlert & Annie Leonhart are separated after Armin's family are forced to flee from Nazi Germany to England. Before Armin departs, both swear that they will one day be reunited. By 1944, Armin is left with nothing but his best friend, Eren, and the two make a trip across war-torn Europe to find Annie.  WWII AU setting. AruAni, EreMika, YumiKuri.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

  
_Es war einmal, an einem Ort, in dieser zerrissenen Welt...  
Zwei junge unglücklichen Seelen wurden durch das Schicksal miteinander verbunden sind..._

* * *

**June, 1937**

The grass rustled around Armin as a cool summer's breeze swept through the field, the boy looked up from the book in his lap and could see in the distance a mop of light golden hair. As she became closer, the sight caught his breath and the feeling swelling in his heart was enough to make it feel like bursting from the confines of his chest.

_Annie Leonhart._

He was just ten years old and she was eleven, but he was certain of the way he felt about her. Books had taught him about feelings of love and affection and although he was young, his mind was older than his years. The boy knew he had felt this way for a long time, but the realisation had only started to set in over the summer. He had noticed a change in Annie over the spring, she was no longer just that quiet, small girl anymore. She had bloomed into one of the most beautiful kind of flowers imaginable.

Armin kept his feelings bottled up and never dared to confess anything to his friend. He found an outlet through paper and the many letters he had written to her, the poems, the sonnets and random notes about her were all kept hidden away from her beautiful, blue eyes.

As she got even closer to where he was sitting, he could see a smile on her face. It was only a small smile but _that_ smile was reserved for him only and it always gave him confidence. Her hair was tied back in her usual strict style and the pale blue cotton skirt she wore that reached to her knees exposed the bruises on her shins. Her height had always been incredibly deceiving, because Annie was a girl who was often caught up in some kind of fight with the other kids in town. In stark contrast, the way she moved was very graceful which was also misleading, because the way she fought was the complete opposite.

When she finally caught up to him, the boy looked up and smiled softly at her as she stood in front of where he was sitting. He really admired her unique features. She had a large aquiline nose, but it fit her face perfectly and her eyes were the purest blue he had ever seen. They were usually disinterested any other time of the day, but brightened up just for him and he felt special because he had always been able to reach out to her and get her to open up in a way that nobody else ever could, not even her father, who she had claimed to not be on the best of terms with lately.

The blonde girl sat down beside Armin and pressed her back against the tree, “Armin, can you please read to me?” she huffed softly, closing her eyes and resting her head against the trunk.

“Are you tired?” he stared at her face and continued to admire her. Her long eyelashes, pink lips and porcelain pale skin was tinged ever so slightly pink. She was obviously flushed from the heat and the sight was all too much for Armin to take in at once.

 _When did I start looking at her with those eyes?_ He wondered to himself as he gazed at his childhood friend.

“Yes.” 

“If you want to shut your eyes for a little while, you can do it later. I w-wanted to show you something first…” Armin spoke hesitantly, watching as her lids opened again out of curiosity.

“What is it?” 

“It's a surprise.” He rose to his feet and lent out a hand for her, Annie took hold of it and stood up, “I think you will love it,” Armin grinned, “Close your eyes.” 

“If you say so.” her tone sounded slightly amused and Armin knew that when Annie set eyes on what he was about to show her, she would lighten up and he would get to see her beautiful smile once again.

He led her to the place he had stumbled across earlier that morning after his mother had told him to go into town and buy some milk. Catching sight of some of his tormentors, the boy had decided to take a detour and although it took him considerably longer, Armin was grateful because it would have been a shame if what he was about to show Annie had remained a secret.

“Can I open my eyes now?” her voice broke the silence when the two children were about halfway there.

“Be patient.” Armin replied and made sure she wasn't peeping. Knowing Annie, she probably had because she was a girl who grew tired of things quickly, that was with the exception of his books that he would read to her and the stories he made up.

Annie let out a sigh but nevertheless kept her eyes shut. When they had seemingly reached the destination she heard Armin call out, “You can open your eyes now.”

The girl's eyes widened a little and she stared in awe at the sight before her: a secret garden overflowing with flowers of all colours, shapes and sizes. It was beautiful. “Armin…” Annie whispered quietly, not breaking away from the captivating sight before her. Never had she seen so many flowers in one place. “How did you find this place?” she suddenly turned to him, her blue eyes were shining.

“I happened to come across it this morning. I knew that you would love it.”

“You're right.” At that, Annie turned her attention once more to the garden and her hand slowly fell from Armin's. The small girl replaced her hand on the hinge of the wooden gate and pushed it open. She strolled in, but turned around to make sure that Armin was following her, “Who do you think it belongs to?” she asked, admiring her surroundings.

“Probably the person who lives in that house up there” Armin pointed up at it.

“We're not really allowed in here then, are we? It's private property.” she stated matter-of-factly, not seeming to care at all but still making the point.

“N-no, I guess not. We just have to make sure that we don't get caught.”

“We won't.” Annie's tone was fearless and she gave him a small smile.

Armin nodded and smiled back at her, feeling reassured just by the look on her face. He watched her back as she wandered further into the garden and he couldn't help but feel reminded of her by the flowers because of the way they swayed gently in the wind which matched her grace, and because of how beautiful they were. Armin briefly took his attention away from Annie and observed the plants, pondering on which one he would take.

_Surely the owner won't notice if I take one. I know it's stealing but others will grow in its place…_

Without further hesitation Armin picked a single flower and held it in his hand, he then went back to observing Annie as she knelt down to inhale one of roses. The boy just stared at her and for a few moments they were both lost in the moment. That was until an old woman ruined their peace and began yelling angrily at them.

“You kids get the hell out of my garden before I come down there!”

The blond boy's head shot up to the top of the hill and he could see the woman was holding a wooden stick as if threatening them both. He quickly turned to Annie, his heart racing. The blonde girl was back on her feet and already rushing towards him.

“You little brats were picking my flowers, weren't you? You'll regret it!” The elderly woman began to make her way towards the garden and with no hesitation Annie grabbed hold of Armin's hand.

“Run.” She pulled him along with her as she ran and Armin was almost tripping over his own feet at the pace Annie was moving.

“W-wait…I c-can't…A-Annie…slow…down” he huffed between breaths, struggling to keep up. However, Annie did not stop and the two kept running until they were back to the tree where they originally sat at. By this point they were completely out of breath and far away from the fuming woman.

The girl was red in the face and physically exhausted as she collapsed onto the grass and dragged Armin down along with her. Annie quickly rolled onto her back and let out a carefree laugh. Armin crawled closer to her so that he was lying by her side and closed his eyes for a few moments, trying to calm down. His face was bright red and his chest absolutely heaving. For a few minutes nothing could be heard but the two panting and the wind rustling the grass and the trees around them.

When Annie recovered, she sat up and rested against her shins. The blonde girl looked down to Armin and her pale blue eyes fixated on his face. He was still flushed, but by this point his chest was no longer moving up and down so rapidly. She continued to stare at him and she wondered if he could sense her eyes on him. Whether or not he could, she decided to move closer until her face was merely inches from his. She didn't want to break the silence by calling out his name, nor did she want to disturb him because he looked so peaceful. As her eyes moved downwards, she started to ogle Armin's lips and she found herself imaging things that had never crossed her mind before. Her heart started to pound against her chest all over again and she felt heat rush to her cheeks. However, before she was able to do anything, Armin's large blue eyes snapped open.

The boy had felt a shadow hovering over him blocking out the heat and light of the sun. His eyes instantly widened when he saw how close Annie was to his face and he noticed that her pale skin was an even darker shade of red than before. She immediately backed away and sat up quickly with her head turned to the side away from him. His heart had already started hammering again and he sat up straight,

“Um…” he mumbled, curious to why Annie was leaning so closely over him, but not finding the words to ask. Annie remained facing in the opposite direction and then he was reminded that he was still clutching the flower he stole from the garden. “Hey, Annie…”

Annie turned to face him slowly, the blush on her cheeks still present. “What?” her voice was quiet.

Armin closed the distance between them again and slowly brought a hand to her hair, at first she looked surprised, if not somewhat annoyed by his action, but when she saw the kind smile on his face she relaxed and allowed him to do what he wanted. He very carefully untied the ribbon which kept her hair confined in a tight bun and her golden locks fell down and rested nicely above her shoulders, framing her face beautifully.

“What are you doing?” she finally asked, bewildered.

“I always thought your hair was really pretty, and it looks much better like this.” Armin stated, admiring it.

Annie subconsciously placed the loose strands behind her ears, the feeling of them brushing against her face was alien to her. “You _know_ my father doesn't like my hair loose.” she whispered. It was almost as if she was angry at him.

“But he's not here right now.” Armin replied and a grin formed across his face.

“True,” Annie let out a quiet laugh but it was only half-hearted. Her hand rested on the back of her neck where the hair was now covering and she turned to look up at him again when she felt his hand on her forearm, drawing her attention once more.

“I um, picked this flower, because it reminded me of you. You see, it's beautiful, and the colour matches your eyes.” There was a faint redness on his cheeks as he spoke and Annie looked down to the plant that was in his hand, then back up again to his large blue eyes. She didn't say anything, instead her face heated up even more. “It's called a Forget-me-not. Legend has it that in medieval times a knight and his lady were walking by the side of a river and he picked some flowers for her, but because of the weight of his armour, he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the flowers to her and yelled out “Forget me not”, and after that it became symbolic for ladies to wear Forget-me-nots as a sign of their enduring love.” Armin moved forward and carefully placed the flower behind her ear, “Here. I think it looks really nice like that.”

Annie blushed again and brought her hand to the flower, “That's an interesting tale…”

“I think it's kind of tragic.” Armin replied, the smile slowly disappearing from his face.

The girl looked down, not really knowing what else to say to her young friend. She looked back up again after a couple of moments, as a silence formed between them. Her pale eyes blinked several times as she eyed Armin, it was then that she was reminded of something she had always found funny about the boy. The blonde girl randomly grabbed hold of one of his suspenders and pulled on it, “Why do you always wear these?” she asked in a mocking but playful tone, she then released it and it snapped back onto his chest.

“Ow…” Armin squirmed.

Annie looked at Armin's features as they filled with hurt and she was suddenly guilt-ridden. She quickly apologised, watching as he rubbed his chest. The girl hadn't intentionally wanted to hurt him, she was just poking fun like always.

She was relieved when she saw a smile on his face again, “My clothes are too big for me, so my mama makes me wear them.” Armin explained and Annie simply nodded, remembering that he was small for his age, but so was she.

There was silence for several moments and Annie started picking at the grass, she kept her eyes down, not looking at the blond boy, “Armin…” her voice was almost inaudible as she began to speak after a few moments more. He noticed her cheeks were suddenly red again, “If you are scared that I would somehow forget you and you gave me this flower for that reason, you don't have to worry.”

“I'm not scared, why would I be?” Armin blushed, but deep inside he _was_ scared.

_Just how many more days together like this will there be?_

Annie remained silent and Armin shuffled awkwardly. There seemed to be a long pause and then Annie rested her back against the grass again, staring up at the sky. Armin copied her and their hands brushed against each other's. Unexpectedly, Annie clasped Armin's hand which caused his heart to start racing for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. The blonde girl turned her head towards him and smiled softly, at that moment he was curious to what was going through her mind, but instead of questioning, he simply smiled back and watched as she closed her eyes.

Armin must have stared at her sleeping form for about thirty minutes before drifting off into slumber.

* * *

“ **Annie!** “ the sound of a man's harsh voice called out, abruptly waking the two. Neither Armin nor Annie was sure of the time, but judging by the colour of the sky it looked like very late afternoon or even early evening. It was difficult to tell in the height of the summer but the time didn't matter. Annie was in trouble, “Annie what the hell do you think you're doing!?” the voice was becoming louder, angrier, and closer.

They sat up only to find that their bodies were closely entwined, which must have occurred while they were asleep.

“Father…?” Annie called out hoarsely, her eyes were wide in shock. Before either Armin or Annie could blink, she was grabbed and torn away from the boy and the flower that was in her hair instantly fell to the ground. Armin quickly stood from his position on the grass and rubbed at his eyes, trying his best to take everything in. It was all happening too fast.

“What have you done to your hair!?” the man flicked Annie's golden strands with one hand, causing her to flinch. Her father's other hand remained tightly wrapped around her arm. Annie didn't utter a word, mostly out of fear.

Armin eyed the man's uniform and instantly recognised it as the Gestapo, Hitler's secret police force that went around terrorising anyone who even slightly opposed the regime that had been put into place three years ago. The boy swallowed hard, Annie had never told him that her father was in the secret police and in all the years he had known her he must have seen the man a total of three times. All he had known was that the man was very strict with her, but little else.

“I told you before Annie, you're not allowed to see this boy.” his voice was loud and clear against her ears and there was already a steady stream of tears rolling down her face.

Just as Annie's father was about to pull her away, the man turned to Armin with a vicious look in his eyes, “And _you_ ,” he hissed, “Stay away from my daughter or I'll get your parents thrown into prison, understand brat?”

Armin started to shake, feeling absolutely terrified to the core. The blond boy tried to open his mouth to speak, but no words came out and he felt despair overwhelm him. He just about managed to nod his head in response to the man's threat. Armin's blue eyes were instantly filled by tears and a couple breached the rim and leaked down his cheeks as he watched the flower that was previously in Annie's hair being trampled on by her father as he proceeded to drag her away. Armin wanted to stop him, but he couldn't. He was completely helpless in the situation. Annie turned her head back but Armin stood frozen in the spot, simply watching her woebegone face stained with tears as the distance grew between them.

As more tears fell from his eyes, Armin looked down to the wilting flower on the ground and cried even harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation: Once upon a time at a place in this torn up world... Two young unfortunate souls were brought together by fate...


	2. Chapter 2

**July, 1937**

Hand-in-hand the two children made their way across the field. Just like every day since they were forbidden from seeing each other, the two would sneak off to a safe place far away where they wouldn't be caught. The heat of the summer's sun beat down on their backs, but neither decided to take rest until they reached their destination.

Armin let go of Annie's hand for a brief moment but only to climb over a small wooden fence. The boy then aided the smaller girl over and once she was on the other side her hand fell into his again.

“I wish I wasn't so short.” Annie mumbled, looking down and straightening out her skirt with one hand.

Her statement only caused the blond boy to laugh softly, “You're not _that_ short.” He replied with a grin.

“I am. I'm eleven years old and look like an eight year old.” She pouted.

“Who told you that?”

“Jean Kirstein.”

“Jean's not exactly an intelligent person.” Armin laughed again.

“I agree.” Annie couldn't help but crack a smile at her friend, the boy always managed to cheer her up and she loved him for it. A soft laugh then escaped her lips, it was a heavenly sound that rang through Armin's ears like music.

“Want to play a game?” the blond boy questioned.

Annie pondered for a moment, then suddenly to Armin's dismay she let go of his hand but only to tag him. “Catch me if you can!” she sprang away from him and he watched her become smaller as the distance stretched between them. The boy grinned again and chased after her. At that moment, time seemed to slow down.

Armin watched as Annie moved gracefully across the field, the way she ran and darted away from him was like a dance. She was beautiful. When he finally caught her, she started to chase after him. Armin ran as fast as he could but made the foolish mistake of turning around to see how close Annie was, wondering if he still had a chance. It turned out the girl was almost directly behind him.

She brought her hands to his chest and pushed him back, causing Armin to stumble. Annie laughed again and the boy fell onto the grass, he let out a yelp as his head collided with the earth. It hurt quite a bit but the tears that had started to form in his eyes quickly evaporated when Annie sat on top of him, pinning him to the ground. “Caught you”, she was smiling mischievously down at him, baring her pearly white teeth.

Armin's face quickly flushed red and his heart started to race, “A-Annie?” The girl just stared at him, blue eyes shining and cheeks tinged with red, “W-What if your father sees us?” he finally stuttered out, it would be a disaster if her father was to catch the two like this.

“We're far away from my father and everyone, remember?” Annie responded, but nevertheless rolled off of him, “How would he ever find out?”

“Oh y-yeah.” Armin let out a strained laugh.

Annie only frowned at him but it was only for a moment. Her features quickly softened again, “Trust me.” She looked into his eyes.

“…I trust you.” He finally said and gave her a small smile in return.

Annie's lips curved upwards and she jumped to her feet, “Let's play hide-and-seek. I'll count first, you hide.” Armin's large blue eyes blinked up at her from his position on the grass, “Well,” she huffed, “What are you waiting for?” the boy quickly brought himself to his feet, forgetting his troubles once again. Annie's hands covered her eyes and she began counting.

An hour must have passed by, and the two finally grew tired of the game.

“Should we play something else?” Annie asked but Armin shook his head. He rested his back against a tree and closed his eyes, the blonde girl sighed and stood up. She walked towards the tree and sat down beside Armin, when she rested her head against his shoulder the young boy's eyes shot open. He felt his face heat up at the contact. It was nice being so close to her, feeling her body against his.

The two rested like that for some time and Annie began to hum softly to herself. The sound was soothing, but it did little to settle Armin's raging heart and he suddenly felt very overwhelmed again. The secret he had been hiding from her ever since the ordeal began was eating away at him. What if one day he disappeared without reason? He didn't want to put Annie through that, the boy knew he _had_ to tell her.

“H-hey, um, Annie…” Armin addressed the blonde girl, breaking the silence.

“Mhm?” she didn't raise her head and instead started to absent-mindedly pick daisies from the grass.

“I need to tell you s-something.” Armin suddenly blurted. The boy began to fidget and Annie finally pulled back.

“Go ahead.” She watched him carefully, giving him her full attention.

“You have to p-promise you won't tell anyone…” Armin's large eyes conveyed the trust that he poured into her and after another couple of seconds she nodded her head.

“I promise.” Her eyes looked suspicious, curious, but also vaguely anxious. Annie could almost smell the fear coming from the boy and it unsettled her. It took him a while to gather the courage to tell her what was on his mind and after letting out a heavy breath, he finally spoke.

“M-my grandfather is Jewish.” Armin took in another breath and held it. He was quick to analyse Annie's facial expression, he wasn't sure what to expect from her. At first, Armin watched as her eyes widened for a brief moment. She then quickly broke eye-contact and looked down to the ground, it seemed like a lifetime before Annie finally replied.

“I see.” was all she said, and Armin didn't know what to think. He didn't know what she was thinking, either. Both of them knew what this meant. It meant that if anyone ever found out, Armin, along with his family would be sent away forever. “I won't tell.” Annie finally added and Armin's heart beat gained pace after hearing her words, feeling relieved.

“He's not a practising Jew, t-though…but, my family are really worried…” Armin said quietly, his eyes on the flowers in Annie's hands.

“I understand.” she whispered. Armin continued to stare at her while a nervous feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. He knew she couldn't fully understand because she didn't have Jewish blood, she was different.

Moments later, Annie stood up from the grass. Armin watched her skirt flow around her legs as a breeze passed over them, her facial expression was unreadable and it made his heart feel heavy in his chest, “I had better go back now,” she said quietly, her eyes failed to meet his.

Armin nodded saying goodbye and watched her back as she left him to return to her father.

_Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything…_

* * *

“If you are caught with me, you know it won't end well.” Armin said uneasily a few days later, watching as Annie picked the grass beneath her. She wasn't even looking at him and he felt so sad. It seemed as if she hated him now.

“But I want to see you.” was her curt reply, she didn't bother to look up at him as she spoke and Armin felt his heart contort.

“But your father…” hearing those words, Annie's head shot up and her blue eyes narrowed at him. The glare on her face made him feel instantly intimidated, he hadn't realised her soft features were even capable of turning so sharp and vicious looking.

“I have told you before, Armin. I don't care what he says. I don't care what _anyone_ says. I don't care if your grandfather is Jewish, either.” she snapped and he flinched.

She was never like this with him. Maybe it was because she knew the truth about him now. He was different from her, and it was unfair. The Führer had stripped him of his identity and he wasn't even Jewish. The boy had heard his parents talking about it in hushed whispers. They had tried to protect his young ears from hearing anything but Armin _knew_. The boy was smart, he only had to pick up a book or listen to the wireless. The words Armin had been dreading to hear were finally spoken the night before last as he listened to his parents from his bedroom. He was supposed to be asleep but he heard every word. They had said how they would leave, they had no choice and Armin had no choice but to tell Annie, but every time he tried, he found himself lost for words.

For several moments neither of them said anything and Armin just continued to stare at the girl, only wishing that fate had been kinder to them. He regretted mentioning anything to her and he wondered what kind of poison her father was feeding her about people like him. She had been acting off with him ever since he told her about his grandfather. Their time together was growing shorter by the day and Armin did not want to spend his remaining days with the girl he loved so much like this.

“Annie, please come and sit in the shade with me. I can see your nose burning…” the boy said softly with frown on his face, noticing her pale skin turning red under the heat of the sun.

Annie looked up at him, her eyes seemed tired. She walked slowly towards him and took a seat, bringing her legs to her chest and hooking her arms around her shins. She refused to even look at Armin properly and instead, rested her head on top of her knees. “What's wrong?” Armin asked quietly, his heart felt uncomfortable in his chest and his breathing was becoming strained.

There was silence.

“Annie…” the boy dared himself to scoot closer to her, but not close enough to touch. “Annie, _please_ …talk to me.”

It was a long while before Annie spoke. When she did her voice was barely above a whisper, “I just want things to go back to how they used to be.”

Armin let out a heavy sigh, “Me, too.” he looked down and watched as Annie began to rip apart a daisy that was in her hand.

_I can't tell her when she's like this._

* * *

“A-Annie…I'm leaving.” The words Armin had been dying to say, and yet dreading all the same finally tumbled from his mouth. His voice had cracked, as expected tears were already spilling down his face. Annie turned to him, her mouth opened yet no sound came out. She turned away again quickly and her golden bangs fell in front of her face. Armin went to brush the piece of hair away so that he could see her face again but she suddenly slapped his hand away. Armin chocked on a sob.

Annie bit back the urge to cry and stood up abruptly, her teary eyes and red face made Armin's stomach twist and heart sink. He could see how upset she was, her face was full of sorrow and anger. Before he could say anything more, she ran off, leaving him under the tree. The boy panicked and quickly wiped away his tears, “W-wait!”

He ran after her, his heart pounding against his chest and vision becoming a blurry mess. Unfortunately, she was much faster than he was and always had been. Armin called out her name desperately, but it was hopeless.

Eventually, he found her in an old barn house, the sound of quiet sobbing had drawn him to it. The young boy's heart lurched in his chest when he saw her sitting amongst the hay. Her hands were covering her face as she cried.

“I'm sorry,” he sniffed, wiping away any tears that were on his face with his sleeve.

At the sound of Armin's voice, Annie's head shot up. Her face was all red and her eyes were puffy from crying. She continued to sob, seemingly no longer caring about trying to hide from him. The boy slowly approached her and when he realised she wasn't about to run off again, he sat beside her. He wiped away her tears but they seemed never ending. He had only ever seen her cry once before, which had only been just over a month ago. She was so distraught and it made him even more anxious. For some time, nothing could be heard except for Annie sniffing and hiccuping, the boy was unable to think of the right words to say.

“…I don't want you to leave…” the blonde girl finally whispered.

“I don't w-want to either, but I h-have to…you know why.” Armin's voice was even quieter than hers.

“I know,” Annie's eyebrows scrunched together, “It's because of my father, and men who share his opinions. It's because of the Führer. Because your grandfather is Jewish…” she rambled, tears rolling freely down her cheeks.

“Y-yes…” Armin was now crying again himself, unable to hold it back.

“I really don't want you to go Armin,” Annie cried, “I don't have any other friends, I'm all alone…” her whole body shook as she sobbed.

“Y-you have your f-father…” Armin reasoned, trying his best to make the girl feel better but knowing it would fail. There was simply nothing that could be said.

She only cried harder.

“When are you leaving?” the girl finally brought herself to ask, after forcing herself to calm down.

“T-tomorrow…”

“ _Tomorrow_!? But that's too soon.” There was a pause and she rubbed her temples in frustration, “…Where are you going?”

“England.”

“Will I ever see you again?” Annie turned to him. Her eyes desperate, her thin brows sloped upwards in despair.

Armin felt a lump forming in his throat again, he nodded his head and swallowed, “Yes, o-one day.” The blonde girl just stared at him, Armin could see the doubt in her beautiful eyes, not fully believing they'd ever see each other again. Armin felt more tears fall and he leaned forward, embracing the girl in a tight hug. She returned it, stuffing her face into his shoulder. When they finally let go, his shoulder was damp from all the tears she spilt. She wiped the remaining tears away from her cheeks and their eyes met. “A-Annie…can you meet me at dawn tomorrow…b-before I leave? I have something I want to g-give to you before I go…”

The girl nodded slowly, “Where…should I meet you?”

Armin's eyes briefly scanned over the barn house, “How about here?”

“Alright.”

* * *

Slightly before sunrise the following day, Armin sneaked out and made his way to the barn house where he had told Annie to meet him.

The grass was fresh with morning dew, which caused his ankles to become wet as he walked. He shivered slightly, the nip in the early breeze getting to him. In one hand, he clutched an envelope containing all of the poems and letters he wrote for the girl but had never had the courage to give to her. Of course, it was now a matter of now or never. In the other hand, he held a forget-me-not, which he stole on his detour to the barn. His plan was to confess his love for her and give her something to remember him by.

The blond boy let out a sigh, breathing in the scent of the field and admiring his surroundings for one last time as the morning sun touched the nature he had always thought was wonderful. He would be in a different country, far away from the beauty of his hometown by the evening. His heart weighed heavy in his chest and he blinked frequently to prevent himself from crying. The last thing he wanted was to show weakness.

When Armin reached the barn house, he took a peek through a gap between the planks of wood. The low rays of light shone through the cracks and he could see Annie's pure golden hair, she looked like an angel. He had always loved her hair and in the morning light it looked even more flattering. He took all of her in, admiring her beauty. He wanted to capture and preserve the moment forever. Stepping away from the crack, he finally decided to enter the barn, after all, time was not on his side.

Annie turned to him with a solemn expression on her face. She seemed paler than usual, her eyes even more tired. Yet to him she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and probably ever would see. The girl stood and they walked towards each other, stopping when there was only a small space left between them.

Armin looked down to her, finding it hard to speak. _This is it,_ he thought to himself bitterly, knowing he would never get to watch her grow into a woman. “I...” he began, but was once again lost for words. Annie waited patiently, her expression becoming more pained by the minute. “I love you, A-Annie.” His voice cracked again and Armin frowned. He felt the tears prickle in his eyes and spill over his cheeks.

_Why couldn't I be brave for her, just one time? Why must I always show my weakness and cry?_

Hearing his words, hot tears began to stream down Annie's face, “I love you too.” Her voice was quiet but sturdy.

Armin's large eyes widened for a second, he made a futile attempt to wipe away his tears and then handed her the envelope, “I um, wrote these poems for you, there's some letters too. Please read them. O-oh, and a forget-me-not. Please don't forget about m-me…”

The blonde looked down to Armin's shaky hands and took both the envelope and the flower from him, not bothering to wipe away her own tears. “Thank you. And I told you before, I could never forget you.”

Armin's mouth parted for a moment and he sniffed and wiped his nose, “I'll try and write to you…”

Annie nodded, “Promise me we will meet again?”

“I promise. I promise I'll come back for you.” Armin sniffed once more, but managed to smile through his heartbreak. There was silence between them and a small, sad, smile found its way to Annie's face. It was all Armin needed and he took a step back, ready to leave, “G-good bye, Annie.”

“Wait,” Annie raised her voice and Armin made no further advance to leave. He stood still, waiting for her to speak. Instead of speaking, she stepped forward and pressed her lips against his in a very light and brief kiss. Armin felt the blood rush to his face and his heart picked up pace. The girl took a step back again, her cheeks suddenly rosy red. She then removed the silver ring that she always wore from around her finger. Armin gasped at the realisation of what she was doing. “Here,” she held it out to him. He refused to accept it.

“W-what are you doing…?” He stuttered, shocked. Armin knew the ring had belonged to Annie's mother, who passed away when she was a young child. The ring was the most important thing to her, or so Armin had thought.

The blonde girl looked down to the forget-me-not in her hand and stared at it for several moments. When she looked back up at Armin, their eyes met once again, “You can return the ring to me when we meet again, it will connect us while we're apart.” She explained. The blonde girl took hold of Armin's hand and placed the ring into his palm, closing his fingers over it with her own.

Armin let out a sound of surprise but tightened his grasp around the piece of jewellery. His brows furrowed and he looked at Annie deeply for a long moment.

“Until we meet again.” He finally said, and even though Annie looked beautiful when she cried, he tried his best to ignore the steady stream of tears that had started to flow down her face once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**December, 1938**

Torn away from the warmth of his dreams by reality, Armin shivered as he woke up. He had been dreaming of the summer days he had spent with the girl he had been dreaming of ever since he had to leave her behind. The dreams gave him mixed feelings, of happiness, longing and sadness all combined. A part of him was thankful, for his dreams were the only place where he would see the girl. However, they also made him feel terribly homesick. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't feel that way, it wasn't because London was a bad town, but it wasn't the place he called home.

The boy sat up and noticed a wet patch on the sofa where he had been dribbling in his sleep again. He looked around the living room which was dusty and cluttered with books as usual. The air was stale, but he didn't really want to open a window because it was far too cold outside. The only sound that could be heard throughout the small house was the ticking of the clock on the mantel piece. His father was out, and the absence of his grandfather meant that he must have gone into town to visit the library. Armin looked to the clock, straining his eyes in order to try and decipher what the time was.

It was just past two in the afternoon and he realised he must have dropped off over an hour ago while reading one of his favourite books. Although he always loved reading, he found himself to be very lonely. Books were now his only friends. Despite living in London for over a year, he had failed to make a single proper friend. He loved school, but only because he enjoyed learning. At first, he had been anxious about going, because he was unable to speak English. Fortunately, he had picked up on the language very quickly, thankful for the fact that it was similar to his mother tongue. The teachers seemed to adore him, and praised him for being a fast learner. They had also deemed him to be one of, if not the smartest child in the school.

However, the students didn't seem to like him. He was often subject to bullying, mostly for being the 'teacher's pet' or at first, 'the new kid'. His German accent still lingered too, and Armin was also very quiet and shy, for these reasons also, the kids would often poke fun at him. Being rejected by his peers had caused his esteem to plummet even further. He had always been a target for bullies even back in his hometown, but at least things had been better then, since he wasn't completely alone. Needless to say, the boy was feeling extremely miserable.

It did not help that other factors in his life were contributing to that feeling. His mother had become seriously ill in September, and it seemed like she was only getting worse. She was currently upstairs, almost completely bedridden due to her sickness. She hadn't been eating properly, and was becoming thinner by the day. The young boy didn't know what to do, nor did his father or grandfather. For the last couple of months, they had been desperately trying to find a good doctor. None of the doctors who had been hired knew what was wrong, and they hadn't even been able to provide a way of making the pain any more tolerable for the woman. He supposed it didn't help that his mother could only communicate with the doctors in broken English. She had never learnt the language, after all, she had never imagined she would have to flee from her homeland for the sake of her family. Armin's father was able to translate some of the time, but he was a writer and therefore often busy at work. His grandfather continued to do his best to research at the library what could be wrong, but so far, he had had no such luck.

Armin let out a sigh and trotted into the kitchen, thinking it was a good time to make something to eat for his sick mother. He made tea and put together soup with bread, knowing that she would only be able to consume something light. When finished preparing the meal, he carried it upstairs on a tray and knocked once, he called out to let her know he was about to enter and then pushed the door open gently, balancing the tray in one hand. His mother was already sitting up in bed, and she gave him a weak smile as he stepped in.

The boy had inherited most of his mother's features, her small nose that sloped upwards, extremely large eyes, and petite frame. However, her eyes and hair were darker than his. Her beautiful auburn hair was now limp around her shoulders, it was usually very thick and wavy. Armin also noticed the dark circles under her eyes and couldn't help but frown, he felt so helpless watching his mother deteriorate like this. He missed the light in her eyes, and the redness in her cheeks. It was as if she was fading away completely, and he felt awful.

Armin placed the tray of food on the bedside table, and brought the chair from the dresser to the side of the bed to sit down, “I thought you would like something to eat,” His mother nodded and gave him another weak smile. Armin handed her the cup of tea and he noticed how her hands where shaking as she held it, the motion caused some of the beverage to spill over the edge and onto the bed sheets, “Mama, are you alright?” he questioned worriedly.

“Yes, I'm just very…tired.” she let out a sigh and closed her eyes while bringing the cup to her lips.

There was a long silence and Armin began to feel more and more concerned, “You will get better.” he suddenly whispered to her.

Her golden brown eyes opened again and she set the cup aside, “Hopefully.” There was a faint smile on her face, and she took hold of Armin's hand that had been resting in his lap. He winced ever so slightly at the contact, because she was stone cold.

“You will. We'll find you a good doctor.” Armin felt tears burning at the corners of his eyes and he tried desperately to blink them back, but to no avail.

His mother nodded, “Don't cry, Spätzchen (little sparrow).” She brought her other hand to wipe away the tears that had already made their way down her son's cheeks.

Armin only frowned.

_I hate feeling so useless and helpless. I don't want to cry. I don't want to show how scared I am. She needs me right now. Why must I always be so weak—?_

The boy's thoughts were suddenly derailed at the sound of a knock on the door. His father—a man of average height, who wore glasses, and was blond-haired and blue-eyed just like his son, stepped inside. Behind him, there was another man, a bit taller, darker haired and also wearing glasses.

“Frieda, Armin,” Armin's father greeted both his wife and son, “I've found a man who might be able to help.”

“Hello, Mrs Arlert.” the taller man's eyes rested on the women in bed and then moved to the boy next to her, “Armin,” he smiled, “I am Dr Grisha Yeager. It's nice to meet you.” He approached the red-haired woman and held out his hand, she took hold of it.

“Doctor.” her accent was heavy and she clasped his hand tightly, desperately, almost as if the man was her last hope. Dr Yeager then turned to Armin who was still in the seat beside the bed.

Armin quickly stood, “Pleasure to meet you, sir.” he held out his hand and Grisha Yeager shook it.

“You too, Armin.” He smiled kindly, the doctor then placed his large medical bag on the seat Armin had been sitting on and spoke again, “Right now, let's see what I can do for you, Mrs Arlert.”

In order for Armin's mother to understand what the doctor had said, his father quickly translated from English to German. Armin decided to leave the room, thinking it was best that his parents and the doctor had some privacy. He felt his father give him a gentle pat on the shoulder on the way out, and the boy only turned back to give him a smile. Armin could now only hope and pray that this doctor would be able to help his mother.

As he neared the bottom of the stairs, he heard movement coming from the kitchen. Concluding that his grandfather must have returned from the library, he rushed to tell him the news.

“Grandpa I—”Armin began, but suddenly stopped, realising that the person in the kitchen was most definitely not his grandfather, “Oh”. A boy slightly taller than himself, with dark brown hair turned around. His eyes were a unique turquoise and his facial expression looked surprised and awkward, he obviously felt equally uncomfortable about the other's presence, “Sorry but, w-who are you?” Armin asked, suddenly flustered. He was not expecting a stranger to be standing in his kitchen to say the least.

“Uh, hello,” The brunet boy spoke, “I'm sorry…uh, your father told me I could help myself to something to eat or drink.” He walked towards Armin and held out a hand, “I'm Eren Yeager, Dr Yeager's son.”

Armin nodded slowly, allowing everything to sink in and then returned the gesture. He figured his father must have forgotten to mention that Dr Yeager had a son. “I'm Armin Arlert.” He replied, smiling softly at the boy.

“I'm…really sorry about your mother,” Eren turned his head slightly to the side, once again feeling awkward. Armin just shook his head.

“M-may I ask why you came along with your father?”

“Oh, well, my mum is busy. She told my father to keep an eye on me, but he got an urgent call and so I had to come with him.”

“I understand. It's just unusual for a doctor to bring someone other than a nurse.” Armin let out an awkward laugh.

“How many doctors have visited so far?” Eren questioned.

“Um, well, let's see…uh,” Armin had to make a mental count of how many had come by the house before, “Around seven or eight.”

“Don't worry. My father is best in town, I'm sure he'll be able to help.” Eren grinned confidently.

“I really hope so!” Armin smiled, truly hopeful for the first time in a long time.

“Where are you from? Your accent is not from around here.” Eren suddenly asked, picking up on it.

“Bavaria, Germany. A small town called Rothenburg ob der Tauber, actually.” Armin said proudly, though he doubted Eren had heard of it.

“Germany? My father's roots lie in Germany and Russia.” Eren stated, “My last name is German in origin. You probably noticed.”

Armin nodded while smiling, “It means hunter.”

“Yeah!” Eren beamed, “So, tell me Armin. Why did you and your family decide to move to London?”

“Um, well, it's a long story.” Armin looked down and shuffled his feet.

“Well, it's not like I'm going anywhere just yet.” Eren encouraged, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

“T-true” Armin smiled, feeling happy that the boy was actually interested, after all, most people weren't. The blond joined Eren at the table taking a seat opposite, “My grandfather, my mother's father, is Jewish. A-and well, it's just that Germany is not exactly a safe place for J-Jews right now. W-well, it hasn't been a safe place for a long time, ever since Hitler declared himself Führer. So, before it got worse, last year, my parents decided to leave with my grandpa. I-I was once even threatened, b-but I would rather not talk about that.” Armin felt himself become nervous at the memory, and he felt his stomach and heart twist painfully.

Eren frowned, “I don't quite understand” he admitted.

“Do you not know?” Eren shook his head and Armin was surprised by the boy's ignorance, but he quickly realised that he was being unreasonable for expecting Eren to know anything.

 _How would he know? It's only the people living in Germany that know of this, the rest of the world is oblivious to the true nature of the man who rules over my homeland. If not oblivious, they sure do not want any involvement_.

“I heard the news on the wireless that Hitler has already taken Austria. Every European power has turned a blind eye, and there is no doubt he'll take over another country in the near future. He already has his mind set on Czechoslovakia, from what I've read and heard.” Armin tried hard but couldn't hide his anger, it was because of Hitler that he and his family were forced to leave everything behind. Eren just blinked, not knowing what to say. “I really think there is going to be a war soon.” Armin was once again looking down, fear consuming his heart.

“W-war?” Eren choked out, completely stumped.

Armin nodded, “I hope not, but I have a horrible feeling about it…if he is not stopped…”

The darker haired boy only swallowed, once again lost for words. Silence followed.

“…I don't think there will be another war. Not after the Great War.” Eren finally said, nodding his head, fully confident in the conclusion he had drawn.

“How can you be so sure?” Armin questioned, feeling sceptical but not wanting to refute what Eren was saying.

“I know it was before we were born, but your parents will remember the Great War, like mine do. Just ask them and they'll tell you that there won't be another war. Not in our life time, that's for sure.”

“I know how terrible it was. My grandpa was a soldier in the war and he told me about it. But, this time, if there's a war…it will be different.”

“How?” Armin could hear the irritation in Eren's voice and cringed slightly. He had not wanted to argue.

“The world has c-changed since then.”

“It was just over twenty years ago, I doubt the world has changed that much.”

Not wanting to argue anymore with the boy, Armin just nodded, “I s-suppose you're right.”

“You shouldn't worry about that type of thing.” Eren added.

“Y-yeah.”

_How can I not worry when the girl I love would be in the middle of it all if something like that was to happen?_

“Where do you go to school? And, how old are you?” Eren suddenly asked, which snapped Armin away from his thoughts.

“Oh um, I just turned twelve in November and I go to the school just slightly down the road, opposite the big park.”

“I go to that school too! Why have I never seen you before?” Armin shrugged, but smiled. “I'll be twelve in March, by the way.” Eren added.

“Now that I think about it…you do seem familiar. B-but our school is very large, much larger than my old one in Germany which was actually very small. I've noticed how there are several classes for each age group alone, each one set according to ability—”

“I _know_.” Eren quickly muttered, silencing the blond boy before he could finish his sentence. Eren's cheeks had flushed red, he seemed embarrassed or even angry, and Armin couldn't tell which of the two emotions he felt more strongly. The dark haired boy looked up at Armin, and noticed the surprised look on his face, “I'm not that smart.” he added quietly.

“I would never judge you, or anyone, for something like that.” Armin quickly assured.

“I'm in the lowest class…I also don't have a lot of friends…” Eren looked down again, eyebrows brought together in a frown and cheeks still red.

“I d-don't really have any friends either.” Armin decided against mentioning that he was in the top class. He knew Eren would feel insecure knowing that little detail.

“Well, you have me…If you want.” The boy still looked vaguely embarrassed, but there was a friendly, eagerness in his eyes.

Armin nodded and a huge smile formed on his face, “Yeah, I'd like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone tries to correct me on the spelling of Eren's last name (which is actually how it is spelt in canon, but anyway) I know. I know that most people in the fandom spell it as 'Jaeger', but for this story I decided to spell it as 'Yeager' because since Eren is living in England, I assumed his last name would have been Anglicised (in the past many people's name were, and I know this for a fact because some of my ancestors were from Italy)  
> Just a few more notes:  
> I refer to the radio as 'wireless' because that's the old term for it which would have been used during this time period.  
> I gave Armin's mother the name 'Frieda' because I think it's a really beautiful name, and it's quite common in Germany (I think?) It's possibly more common in Scandinavia though, but I know that this is the German spelling of it.  
> I did some research on German pet-names for children and found 'Spätzchen' which I thought was quite cute, it's also quite old-fashioned too.  
> Anyway, I think that is all I have to say about this chapter. Please leave reviews :)


	4. Chapter 4

**September, 1939**

Annie was completely engrossed by one of the books she had loved to read with Armin and was not paying attention to anything else around her. Earlier she had turned on the wireless to listen to music, it always seemed to keep her calm and relaxed. However, her father had destroyed the peace she had managed to achieve. The man stepped in and turned the radio dial, causing a very loud static sound as he flicked through the different channels. When he finally landed on the station he was looking for the words that were being spoken made Annie's stomach flip.

Her father turned to her, “Are you alright, Annie?” he questioned. He was not used to his daughter portraying emotion, especially in the last couple of years. Annie remained silent. “Are you worried about your father?”

Annie bit her lip and slowly nodded.

“Don't you worry about a thing,” he came over to her and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, “We will be victorious.”

Once again Annie said nothing, her father straightened out his jacket and left the room after announcing he had his duties to fulfil. The blonde quickly stepped up and turned off the wireless, not wanting to hear anything more. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat on top of the window ledge, curling her legs up to her chest and staring at the world outside. At a time like this she couldn't help but think of Armin Arlert. He had told her he would write but she never received anything. Had he already forgotten about her? She was sure it wasn't like him to forget or lie to her. Thinking back on the incredibly lonesome days shortly after he left, she remembered the conversation she had had with her father.

“ _Come on Annie, eat up your soup. You're not going to grow stronger by eating nothing.”_

_“I'm not hungry.”_

_“Do as you're told.”_

_Annie reluctantly complied, not wanting her father to start shouting. There was a long silence at the table until her father spoke up again, “You can stop moping for the little boy you used to play with. He was sent to a ghetto where he will be with others of his kind.”_

_Annie placed her spoon down on the wooden table and looked directly up at her father for the first time that evening, “You're lying.” her mouth had opened before she had time to think and she panicked._

_Her father twitched, “What did you say?”_

_Annie shook her head, “Nothing.” she mumbled, her eyes looking down at her soup, her heart thumping._

_“I personally made sure that Armin Arlert along with his family were sent away. They didn't belong here and I'm glad you are not exposed to that kind of filth anymore.” Annie began to shake, she wondered why her father would lie about something like this to her. “It's for the best, sweetheart.”_

_She nodded her head, not knowing what to really think or believe, but being smart enough to know to obey and agree with whatever her father told her._

Two years down the line and with every day that went by another ounce of hope was lost. Armin would most likely never return to her. He would never come back and they would never meet again. Annie was coming to terms with the fact that in the end, she only had her father.

* * *

_Dear, Annie,_

_Mother passed away and father has left for Africa. I only have Grandpa and my best friend, Eren Yeager now. I want to see you, I wonder how you are doing. I haven't forgotten about you. I hope you are well. Have you grown taller? Has your hair grown any longer? How is your father? Will you ever reply to my letters? I have been writing to you for the past two years and not a single reply came back. I am not sure if you receive the letters or not, but if you do I want you to know that I still love you and I will come back for you. I would never break my promise to you. We will meet again..._

Armin paused briefly to turn on the wireless, he would usually listen to the device while writing or reading, classical music was his first choice. Looking out of his window and pondering on what to write next, he heard the Prime Minister starting to talk and he looked down to his paper once again.

“ _ **This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a**_ _ **final Note stating that, unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were**_ _ **prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would**_ _ **exist between us.”**_

The boy quickly ceased writing to turn the dial on the wireless up, his heart starting to thud hard against his chest.

“ _ **I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that**_ _ **consequently this country is at war with Germany.”**_

From that moment, time seemed to freeze and Armin's hearing went fuzzy. All he could hear was his own heartbeat in his ears and his breathing turned heavy. “War…?” The boy's voice came out barely above a whisper and he shook his head in disbelief. In his heart he had known it would occur all along, but had hoped it would never actually happen. Now that it was confirmed, it felt almost surreal.

“ _ **Now may God bless you all. May He defend the right. It is the evil things that we**_ _ **shall be fighting against - brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and**_ _ **persecution - and against them I am certain that the right will prevail.”**_

Armin was visibly shaking by this point and stood up from his seat suddenly, causing the chair to fall backwards to the ground. He ran out of his bedroom and down the stairs to find his grandfather.

* * *

A few weeks later Armin happened to overhear Eren and his mother yelling. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop and had been taught that it was rude to do so, but he couldn't help it. He supposed he could have just left the books he was returning on the doorstep but what he heard had frightened him and left him frozen on the spot.

“Do as you're told for once, for God sake Eren!” Carla Yeager screamed and Armin flinched from behind the door.

“I'm not going away. You can't force me!” the brunet yelled back.

“Eren,” Mrs Yeager sounded exhausted, “You are twelve years old. Kids your age are still allowed to be evacuated from the city to safety. Soon, you'll be too old…you'll…” her voice cracked, and Armin bit down on his lip.

“I'm not going.” Eren sounded defiant as ever. Armin knew how stubborn his best friend could be.

“You will do as I say,” Carla raised her voice again but she was growing weaker, more tired. She was losing the battle.

“I'm not going to the countryside like some coward, I'm going to be a solider and you can't stop me.” Eren shouted and Armin heard footsteps stomping up the stairs. He let out a sigh, Eren was of course too young to join the army but God only knew how long the war would go on for. For all Armin knew and what he predicted, it would go on at least two years.

The young blond boy decided against knocking on the Yeager's front door at a time like this. In the end he just left the books on the doorstep and walked away, like he should have in the first place.

When Armin got back home his grandfather was in the kitchen, a delicious and sentimental meal was set on the table.

“You're finally back, I was a little worried.” he spoke, watching as Armin removed his shoes and sat down at the table.

“I'm sorry, Grandpa. I had to return Eren's books on my way home from the library.”

“It's fine. Did you manage to get them back to him alright?”

“Not exactly, I…I heard him arguing with his mother _again_.” Armin sighed.

Armin's grandfather closed his eyes and shook his head, “He should really learn to respect his mother.” he finally said, sitting down opposite his grandson.

Armin nodded and suddenly felt the emptiness and longing overwhelm him again. It was enough to destroy his appetite. He missed his mother, desperately. He missed his father, too.

Although Armin was eternally grateful to Dr Yeager who had managed to at least make the last few months of his mother's life bearable, it had not been enough to keep her alive and that's all the boy had really wanted. She had an extremely rare condition of the heart, a virus, Grisha Yeager had said. Unfortunately there was no cure. It made her weaker by the day and she became extremely tired and grouchy at times, but she had tried her best to remain kind to her son despite what she was going through. She passed away in May and Armin had not been the same since even though he had known it was coming. He was positive he had become thinner from not eating nearly enough despite his grandfather cooking delicious meals all the time and forcing the boy to try and eat. He also became more studious, not that he wasn't already that way before. Armin felt that books were the only cure, they distracted him from thinking too much about anything.

“ _My darling child, I love you so much, never forget that.”_

Those were his mother's last words, he would never forget them, or her, the warm hugs, the kisses on the end of his nose and cheeks right before bed, her cooking, or the way she would read to him before bed. Everything was treasured in his memory, never to be forgotten as long as he lived.

The boy understandably felt as if he had lost everything. Little over two years ago he had been forced to leave his home and leave Annie behind. Two years later cruel fate struck again, taking his mother away from him and leaving him with his grandfather and father. However in another twist, shortly after his mother's death his father decided to go to Africa to 'write a book'. The man had not taken the death of his wife very well and was grieving.

“ _I need an adventure.”_ He had said.

His father had asked Armin to go with him on his trip but Armin had refused. He couldn't leave his grandfather behind who had just lost his only daughter and he didn't want to leave school, either. In the end the man left alone and had not been heard of since. A few letters had arrived in the beginning but in the last month or so, not one single letter had come through the letter box. The wise child knew that now war had been officially declared he strongly doubted his father would ever return to Europe.

Armin had already lost so much, he was sure he wouldn't be able to cope with anything else. He lived on edge, constantly waiting to hear something, _anything_ , from either his childhood sweetheart or his father. During the day he would distract himself with his studies, by night he would find himself sobbing into his pillow. Now that England was at war with Germany he would no longer even be able to send letters to Annie like he had been doing for the past couple of years. He had never been disheartened by the fact that he never received a reply, but he did deeply worry for the girl. All he could do was hope and pray that God would spare him this _one_ thing in his life, his reason for living and allow him to fulfil his promise. All he really wanted was to be with Annie, as stupid as it sounded at this point.

As more weeks went by, there didn't even seem to be much of a war happening. However, Eren's father had quickly been sent away to serve as a doctor abroad. This put more strain on Carla Yeager and Armin felt as if he needed to talk to Eren about it.

“You shouldn't put so much stress on your mother, Eren.” the blond said as they walked back home from school together.

“She doesn't understand…” Eren muttered, glaring at the pavement.

“She's your mother, of course she understands.”

“You don't know _anything_ about it, Armin.” the taller boy raised his voice, causing Armin to flinch.

“You c-can't go to war right now. You're far too young, you should put your mother's mind at rest and go to the countryside.”

Eren stopped in his tracks and turned to face Armin abruptly, his turquoise eyes were full of rage, “Why don't _you_ go to the countryside? Stop telling me what I can and can't do. You're _supposed_ to be on my side, you're my best friend after all.”

“You know why I won't go,” Armin rebutted quickly, knowing he could never leave his grandfather behind even if living in London during a war was dangerous.

“Do you plan on becoming a soldier when you are of age?”

“N-no.”

“What _do_ you plan to do then!?”

“I…” Armin trailed off, thinking about the promise that was most important to him, “…I don't recall ever telling you about Annie Leonhart before,” his voice was quiet as he spoke.

“Annie Leonhart?”

“Y-yes, I made a promise to her. I promised we would meet again one day.”

“No, you've never mentioned her. Is she important to you?”

“Very. I'm in love with her.” Armin felt his cheeks blush. He had never spoken aloud about Annie before to anyone, not even his grandfather or his mother before she passed.

“And she is in Germany?” Armin simply nodded in response, “Well, the way I see it, you're a coward if you don't fight. You had to leave your home town all thanks to Hitler's regime, right? And you're just going to sit back and do nothing about that?”

“W-what can I do?” Armin could feel hurt swirling inside of him and he started blinking rapidly in an attempt to refrain from crying.

“You can fight.”

Armin didn't say anything, he didn't know what to. The two boys walked on the path back home in silence until Armin had to turn down his own street while Eren had to continue straight ahead. Before separating, Armin addressed his friend once more,

“Eren, I don't want you to go to the countryside, but please think about it. Your mother loves you and cares about you. You should consider what is best for her and yourself.” he spoke quietly.

Eren turned to him again, “I know why you are like this, I know why you're saying it. It's because your mother died. I'm sorry about that, really I am. I regret that my father was unable to save her. But you can't make me leave, no matter what you say. Stop trying.”

Eren's words stung Armin but he knew what his friend was like. Stubborn—once the brunet got an idea in his mind, there was no changing that no matter how much he was persuaded or pleaded with. Over the past two years Armin had learnt that there were certain things he could do to twist Eren's mind-set, but with something like this, something he felt so strongly about, there was no hope.

“If you want to see Annie Leonhart again, the girl you claim to love, then you will have to fight for her.” Eren added before walking on straight ahead, leaving Armin standing alone in the middle of the street.

Armin nodded his head slowly, realising that it was the only option. Whatever was to come his way, he would get through it. He would fight and then one day, for sure, he would be reunited with the girl he was forced to leave behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long delay with this chapter, but I've not had much time to write because of work and also Aruani week was a couple of weeks back. Hopefully the next chapter will be up faster than this one.
> 
> I find writing Eren in this type of setting so easy, his personality fits in so well with a WWII AU, haha, anyway, I want to add that the fic is going to have quite a slow start...so, I hope you didn't find this chapter too boring.


	5. Chapter 5

**August, 1944**

“Stop running from us Kraut!”

Armin knew he was at his limit, his lungs were on fire and he could taste blood in his mouth. He had always been physically weak and he knew that his weakness was going to cost him his life.

 _If they catch me, I'm dead,_ he told himself as he kept running. He knew it was true and yet as sinister as the truth was, telling himself that did not help the matter in the slightest. By now they had cornered him and thrashed his back against a brick wall. He didn't stand a chance.

“You're a piece of shit and a traitor!”

“Die German bastard!”

“Fucking Kraut, I'll kill you!”

Armin winced as the accusations and threats were hurled at him from several directions. Those words did not hurt him as much as the harsh knuckles that had come into contact with his face, though. Blood immediately began to gush out of his nose and before he was even able to cup it, a quick and powerful kick to the shins sent him to the ground causing the boy to cry out in pain.

It was futile to call out for help because nobody would be able to see him, there was not a single person in sight. His heart had been racing since the three boys had tracked him down and began yelling the abuse at him but it was now hammering against his chest harder than ever before. If they carried on like this, he was certain they would kill him. He wasn't even able to reason with them because there was nothing he could really say to calm them down. Being German in wartime Britain was difficult but Armin had never been naïve, he had been well aware since day one that things would become troublesome.

Many Germans living in Britain had already been sent to internment camps, but luckily Armin and his grandfather had been spared the humiliation and trauma of that process. His grandfather had passed away just over a month ago and Armin often reflected on how terrible it would have been for him to have had to spend the last few years of his life in some kind of camp. For that reason, the boy had learnt to love the land that had accepted and saved him from the hell of his homeland. He had always been on the same side as them. That's what hurt him the most when he was attacked like this. After the terror of the bombings he knew that if people found out his nationality, they would understandably become hostile towards him. They would blame him even though he was also a victim of Hitler.

“Are you even listening to us, Kraut!?” one of the teenagers shouted as he kicked Armin's side. Armin screwed his eyes shut in an attempt at blocking everything out. He had expected a few beatings, but he never believed someone would try to kill him. The hatred and revenge these boys felt made them bloodthirsty and he was absolutely defenceless against their act of what they called 'justice'.

“P-please…stop…” he pleaded, but they continued. Armin was beginning to go deaf after being kicked in the head for what must have been the fifth time—he was losing count. His own voice sounded strange as he begged with the cruel teenagers. They were probably the same age as him, around seventeen, and most likely in the home guard. He was certain he recognised their faces but all coherent thoughts were starting to slip away.

“We'll make you suffer as much as you made us suffer, you fucking piece of shit.” one barked at him from above as a foot crashed into his ribs, Armin gasped and blood spewed from his mouth.

He hadn't wanted to cry, he didn't want to show his weakness but nonetheless, hot tears ran down his face and his vision became a blur. His sense of smell became stronger as his other senses failed on him and he could smell the sickeningly strong coppery scent of blood mixing with the salt from his tears.

“I m-may be German, but I am _not_ a Nazi,” Armin choked out in a final attempt to stop them. The young man really did not want to die. He couldn't die yet…

_Not before seeing her again, not before fulfilling my promise, not before the day when I can return to my homeland restored in peace. Against all odds I've managed to survive this long…I have lived through the blitz when thousands perished…I've lived because I'm not meant to die yet…_

They didn't listen. To them, he was the enemy. His people had bombed their home, killed their friends and family. Of course they would be angry.

“LIAR!”

“Let's just leave this fucking Kraut to choke on his own blood…”

That was the last thing Armin heard before another kick to the head sent him into the unconscious world.

* * *

“Armin…” a familiar voice called out to him, “Armin, are you awake!?” the voice continued. Armin could hear a rustling sound and for a brief moment the boy couldn't exactly pinpoint who it was that was calling out to him. Very slowly he opened his eyes and next to his bedside was the blurred figure of a boy with dark hair. “Thank god you're okay!” Eren's voice became louder and Armin squirmed slightly, “Oh, sorry…are you in pain? I swear, I'll fucking kill the bastards who did this to you.”

Armin's heart began to race, he wasn't sure where he was or how he got there in the first place. He felt slightly comforted by the fact that his best friend was by his side, but other than that he had never felt so insecure in his life.

“W-what happened? Where am I…Eren?” his voice was just above a whisper, not really having the energy to talk any louder.

“Don't panic, you're safe in hospital,” Eren assured, “you were beaten up pretty badly…do you remember any of it?”

It took him a moment to recall what had happened, “Ah…y-eah” the boy nodded slowly as the memories of being kicked to the ground flashed across his mind. The initial shock of waking up in a strange place had left him feeling somewhat numb while his mind was buzzing, but now the realisation had set in and his head started to pound while his body ached in every place possible. He doubted if he could even remove himself from the bed without help. “How long have I been like this, Eren?” Armin suddenly wondered how long he had been out for, it felt as if it had been a while.

 _A couple of days? A week?_ _Maybe it has been more than that…After all they attacked with the intention of killing me…._

“You've been out cold for the past four days, I'll inform one of the nurses that you've woken up.” the brunet stood up but Armin stopped him in his tracks.

“W-wait…,” he blinked and furrowed his brows in confusion, “how am I alive? I mean, the last thing I remember was lying in a pool of my own blood and being kicked in the head. I could no longer think clearly and then I blacked out.”

“I knew something was wrong after you hadn't returned home when it passed ten o'clock, so I came looking for you. I know how you sometimes get carried away reading at the library until it's late but I found it strange that I hadn't heard from you the whole day. Anyway, it turns out that an American soldier was passing by and happened to catch those bastards in the act, he saved you and took you to hospital. Those cowards fled the scene…” Armin watched as Eren's eyes narrowed.

“R-Really?”

“Yeah, Erwin Smith was his name. When I came to see you in the hospital you looked a right state. You look much better now, though.”

“I don't really feel all that better.”

“The nurses should be able to give you something to ease the pain. Just hold tight, okay Armin?”

Armin simply nodded and waited for the doctors and nurses to arrive. He hoped they'd give him something to calm the pain in his body. It was times like this when he missed his grandfather, he was certain he would have been able to make it all better somehow.

Not a single day went by where Armin did not miss the old man or his parents. After his grandfather's death he was left with nobody but best friend. They had grown closer and closer over the years even despite clashing every now and then. They were both devoted to a clear goal in life and they relied on each other for support and comfort many times during the war.

Now that they were both seventeen, Eren was one step away from being able to join the army which he had wanted to do ever since he was twelve. His burning desire was fuelled after his mother was killed in the blitz. Armin had tried hard to get rid of the image of the crumbled wreck of Eren's home but it had been no use, it was unforgettable. On that cold dark night in March 1941, Eren's world had fallen apart in perhaps an even more terrible way than Armin's had a couple of years prior. The blond teen remembered it clearly, almost as if it was yesterday.

They had both been at the library studying when they heard the dreaded sound of the siren, it always made Armin's stomach flip over. Very quickly they ran into the closest underground station and stayed there for the night. When dawn broke the next day, Armin just knew there was something wrong. The feeling he got in his stomach that morning was familiar to the feeling he got whenever something awful had happened in to him in the past. It was almost as if he had a sixth sense.

“ _Look at this place, Armin. It looks like a wasteland. They've bombed everything to smithereens…” Eren's turquoise eyes were wide in a mixture of anger, fear and disbelief._

_It was true that almost nothing around them was intact, buildings and houses had become clumps of broken brick and rubble. There was a horrid smell in the air of burning and death. Armin's stomach was already heaving._

“ _What if…what if my house has been destroyed!?” Eren suddenly shouted, panic overwhelming him. Armin noticed the boy's hands begin to shake and he darted off. The blond quickly followed his friend, his heart thrashing against his chest._

“ _It will be still standing won't it Armin?” Eren called out just before turning the corner. Armin swallowed a lump in his throat. For some reason he knew._

_When the two boys turned the corner, only the houses on one side of the street were still standing. The Yeager home was no longer there._

_For a moment Armin's word came to a stop and he lost almost all of his senses. He froze in the spot unable move, to hear, or to breathe. When his senses returned several moments later, all he could hear was the anguished screams and cries of his best friend._

_“My mum was in there!” Eren cried and began to climb over the rubble. Armin couldn't speak to stop him, but a member of the fire brigade soon pulled Eren who was kicking and screaming away from the scene._

That day, Eren Yeager lost everything. He later moved in with Armin and his grandfather, but the boy was never really the same afterwards. He was driven by one thing and one thing only: revenge. Armin became used to Eren's sudden bursts of anger and over time it became a part of the boy's personality. Armin knew that Eren would never be satisfied until he got to kill the people responsible for bombing his home and killing his mother. Eren's romanticised view of the war had drastically changed that night. The glory of being a soldier and fighting for his country had been appealing to the young boy in the beginning, that was why he encouraged Armin to join too. Eren had never been smart in school and had wanted to make himself proud, that was his reason for wanting to join the army. After 1941, he had a real reason.

It was safe to say that both boy's had lost their innocence, naturally the war had done that. However, Armin was never hell bent on getting revenge or becoming a soldier, although lately it had crossed his mind, he knew he wouldn't last five minutes. He could not die in vain, and there was one reason for that. The reason was Annie Leonhart.

The war had raged on and seven years had passed since Armin had seen or heard from the girl he vowed to meet again. He worried himself sick that something had happened to her. However despite his fears, he kept hold of a small amount of hope. Hope was all he had left and he would go back to his homeland no matter what. He had been a coward for far too long.

_I will never give up until I see her once more. I've survived through most of this war, and even if it goes on for another five years, I'll wait, I'll become a solider if I have to. I'm no coward._

* * *

It became obvious that Armin would be staying in hospital for a couple of weeks at the very least. He didn't mind too much, so long as he was safe inside of the building he was happy. Eren visited the next day and day after and stayed until the latest hour he could. The darker haired boy brought some of Armin's favourite books to read which put a smile on his face as he knew he'd probably end up getting extremely bored without his friend's company.

A week or so later, Armin was woken up rather vigorously by Eren. He was still in the process of recovery which meant he was fragile, the urgency of Eren's behaviour startled him and he couldn't help but feel slightly irritated. That was until he heard what Eren had to say.

“Armin! I'm sorry to wake you, but I thought you would want to know as soon as possible.”

The blond rubbed at his eyes, his heart beat immediately escalating. Was the war over? That was surely too good to be true. Before Armin could even open his mouth to ask, Eren thrust a newspaper into his face. His blue eyes scanned over the large bold print on the front cover.

' _Paris Free Again'._

Armin looked to Eren, eyes wide. “Paris…has really been liberated? This means…”

“Yes, it means the Nazi bastards are losing!” Eren's eyes were shining in the triumph.

Armin was silent for a moment, his mind was racing. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he had real ray of hope. The war was still on, but the Allies were winning.

“I can't believe it. Grandpa would have been very happy.” Armin said quietly and a small smile came to his face.

“People are celebrating because it's a significant victory for us!”

Armin nodded, but his thoughts suddenly drifted to Annie Leonhart once again. He wondered how she would react to the news. What was her situation like? Was she safe? He began to try and imagine what she looked like now. He was sure she must have grown into a beautiful young woman. He was sad that he had not been able to watch her grow and that the only real image of her he had was of her as a small eleven year old girl. He wondered if she even remembered him at all, and he prayed she did. All he could really hope for though was that she was safe and had not been harmed during the war.

_I'm sure she's elated hearing the news. It's one step forward against the evils of this regime, Germany has become weaker today._

Ideas began to flurry in Armin's brain and it hit him that if he planned it right, he could probably try and get into Germany. The Allied victory against the Nazis in Paris had opened a door. The Axis were on the losing side and it meant he had a chance.

“Eren, I want to go to Germany.” Armin announced suddenly, a look of determination plastered across his face. He knew his mind was working too fast but he didn't care.

“What the hell are you saying Armin? Do you still have a concussion!?”

“I'm serious, Eren.” the more Armin thought about it, the more he realised how realistic it was that this could really happen.

Eren continued to stare at Armin, his face becoming even more disturbed, “How on earth do you plan on getting into Germany!? There's a war still going on.”

“I've been planning this for years. I told you about Annie…”

“Yeah, but Armin…it's impossible. We can't go to see her. She's in Germany…for all you know, she could be dead!”

Armin looked down and was silent for a moment. Eren had always been blunt, and despite the bitter sting of his words Armin remained calm. The thought had crossed his mind before, he had worried about it for years. It was something Armin had had to come to terms with.

The blond let out a sigh before speaking again, “I realise anything could have happened. I know I haven't seen or heard from her in seven years, but that's not going to stop me. I made a promise, and I must see her.” Eren continued to frown, “Paris' liberation is only the beginning, with any luck the whole of France will soon be free from Hitler's terror.”

The brunet swallowed loudly and it seemed as if he was lost for words for once in his life.

“It's insane, Armin,” he finally whispered under his breath. The words spilling from Armin's mouth were absurd.

“Maybe, but you've always said I should fight. You want to become a solider? You want to avenge your mother? If you become a soldier and we go to Germany, you can kill as many of those Nazi bastards as you want.”

“Armin…” Eren frowned harder. Armin had a point, but nevertheless he couldn't quite believe that the same boy who had been beaten up and picked on at school, the same boy who had always lacked confidence in himself and had never wanted to fight was really saying all of these things now so suddenly.

“I can't stay around here and do nothing! I'd rather not have to live in the fear that every time I walk down the street I'm going to be beaten or yelled at for being a 'kraut'. I want to fight in my own way, and now finally I have a chance.”

Eren remained silent, still trying to wrap his head around the idea.

“Are you coming with me?” Armin locked eyes with him and there was a long pause.

Suddenly, a fiery determination began to grow within Eren's soul and Armin could see it in his eyes.

“What's the plan?” he said and Armin smiled more brightly than he had done in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you didn't know, the term 'kraut' is a derogatory term for German people and the usage of that word originated during WWI.
> 
> I just want to apologise for taking forever to update! I'm going to try my best now to update more regularly.


	6. Chapter 6

**September, 1944**

It was always the same dream.

“ _Come closer,” Armin called out to the woman who stood some distance across the field. She did not respond and rather than make an advance towards her, Armin simply stood still in the spot. A warm wind rustled the grass and flowers surrounding them. Something was terribly familiar about the whole situation and it gave the young man an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. The woman resembled_ _ **her**_ _, he could see that much despite the fact that he was unable to distinguish her features because the wind was blowing her golden hair which obscured her face, much to Armin's frustration._

“ _Annie?” he called out her name this time, but the woman did nothing. He felt a strong pang of desire, he wanted to reach out to her but there was something stopping him. It was as if an invisible barrier was keeping them apart. “Annie!” Armin's tone became more desperate, he was pleading with the woman to step forward and reveal her face. Armin swallowed hard and was then greeted with the all familiar sinking feeling in his stomach as she turned her back to him and began to walk away from his direction entirely. “No...Please, don't...” she soon disappeared, as she always did._

Armin had lost count of the amount of times he had dreamt about the mysterious blonde woman in the field in the past month. It all started shortly after he was dismissed from hospital and started the preparations for returning to Germany. He wondered if it was a sign that things would go horribly wrong when he got there. Perhaps Annie Leonhart would not recognise him, or perhaps she had forgotten all about him.

_Am I being a fool in taking this risk? Paris may have been liberated, but the war is still on._

He shook his head. Every time doubt crept into his mind he pushed it away with just the sheer willpower of wanting to see her once more.

_The dream is simply my subconscious worrying. I've spent so much time planning how I will make this trip, almost everything is set and I know I can make it happen. Just so long as I don't give in at the last minute._

After much thinking, Armin finally decided to get himself out of bed, he washed and dressed and when he reached the kitchen, it was apparent that Eren was already up and awake.

“Tch,” the brunet scowled, “I'm sick and tired of these rations. I wonder if we will ever go back to a normal way of living.”

Armin simply sighed. He was used to Eren's grumpiness of a morning. The bitterness and resentment was imbedded into the boy's personality by this point. Sure, rations were an unpleasant thing to have to deal with but they were the least of Armin's worries.

“Well, we won't be here for much longer...” the fairer boy said after a couple of moments, “We should be able to leave by the end of the week.”

“I'll believe it when I fucking see it.”

Armin winced slightly, he was never one to swear and he didn't like it when others did either, nor did he appreciate Eren's lack of confidence in his ability. Of course things had slowed down a little, after all, the teenager had to prepare documents and even forge fake passports so that if they were stopped at the borders they would not be killed or captured on the spot.

“Eren...I don't think your mother would have liked to hear you use that kind of language.”

“Well my mother is _fucking_ dead and buried, it doesn't matter anymore. Nothing does, except for getting revenge. “

There was an awkward silence for several minutes, Armin did not really know what to say. The atmosphere was awfully dismal but it had been that way for a long time, especially after his grandfather had passed.

“...I'm sorry.” He finally said, he guessed he shouldn't have brought up the boy's mother. It wasn't like he didn't know the pain of losing a mother though, because he knew that pain very well since he felt it every day without fail.

“Not your fault. I only wish I was able to enlist in the army.”

“You can't yet. Besides, would you not rather the war be over before it comes to that?”

“I've told you many times, Armin. I've wanted to become a soldier for years and ever since my mother was killed I've wanted to avenge her. I want to fight.”

“I understand, I too do want to do _something_ ,but I can't throw my life away just yet.”

“I want this hell to be over but I have a feeling it won't be for a while, even after this wretched war ends.”

“No, the damage is too great for an immediate recovery. Not to mention how deep rooted the _psychological_ damage is. At least morale was given a boost after last month's victory...”

Eren nodded his head and stared down at the wooden table, he looked as if he was in lost in his thoughts for several moments. “You know, we might not return.” He suddenly said, and his words struck Armin for a second. Of course the blond always tried to be as realistic as possible, but sometimes the cruelness of reality stung. He was a sensitive boy after all, even if the war and all that before had hardened him somewhat.

“I know, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. What have I got left?”

“You have this house at least,” Eren scoffed, “More than I have.” It was true. Eren's home had been completely destroyed during the raids. Nothing had been salvaged from the wreck, he had lost it all.

“Yes, but I'm leaving it behind. I can't say it will be still standing when I return but I don't care. At this point, I will die trying to return to Germany to see Annie.”

“Well, you know that I'm with you every step of the way, even if you do sound like some besotted young fool. You're my best friend, Armin.” A rare smiled formed on Eren's face.

Armin smiled back, suddenly feeling more confident than he had in a long while.

* * *

About a week later the night before he was due to depart, Armin found himself standing over his bed with his empty old trunk resting on top. It hadn't been used since he came to England more than seven years ago. He had little belongings other than his books and only had a basic clothing as the rationing had been harsh. He began to fold his clothes into the suitcase, but he soon began to feel uncomfortable with the silence in the room. That's when the teenager decided to turn on the wireless. He was thankful for the music and he began to hum along to the lyrics of one of the most popular wartime hits that played from the box on his desk,

“ _We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day._  
_Keep smiling through, just like you always do._  
_'Till the blues skies drive the dark clouds far way._  
_So will you please say hello to the folks that I know, tell them I won't be long._  
_They'll be happy to know that as you saw me go, I was singing this song!_  
_We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when._  
_But I know we'll meet again some sunny day!”_

He guessed it was one of his favourite songs, a sort of sad melody yet it was not without optimism. Something that the boy could relate to, just like many others across the continent and the whole world could at the present moment. Friends and family, husbands and wives... Pretty much anyone who had parted with a loved-one could relate to it. Armin had really learned to appreciate music during dark times as it reminded him that there were many others in his predicament and although many were suffering, many also held onto hope.

Unfortunately, Armin was unable to fit all of his books into the trunk and was therefore forced to leave some behind. He realised that he had every intention to return to England once he had been reunited with Annie, and so he didn't mind leaving them there. Once all of his clothes were in, he placed a tatty old teddy gently into the case. It had been given to him as a young child by his parents and was the only thing he had left from them except for several small photographs that were currently residing in a tin case on his desk. He slowly walked over to the metal container and swallowed hard, a wave of nostalgia washed over him as he opened it and took hold of a photograph of his parents.

His mother was beautiful. His father had been a handsome man. For a second, he spared a thought for the man he had once called 'Papa'. He hoped he had fallen in love with the place he had travelled to and liked to think he was happy wherever in the world he was, over the years he had somehow learnt not to feel hurt or bitter by the fact that his father had all but abandoned him. Upon looking at a photograph of his grandfather he smiled softly and was certain that the old man was looking down on him from above and would guide him on the journey he was about to take.

A piece of silver jewellery flashed in the corner of the box and Armin's heart skipped a beat. It was the ring that had belonged to Annie's late mother, the ring she had bestowed upon him when they had met for the last time. He remembered her words as if it had been yesterday when she placed the piece of silver into his palm,

“ _You can return the ring to me when we meet again, this can be the thing that connects us while we're apart...”_

This had proven Annie had loved him all along and the boy truly believed in what she said.

 _But she never replied to my letters over the years..._ Armin took in a sharp breath at the thought that just crossed his mind, _she's forgotten about me...she doesn't love me._ The boy's hands started to shake, all of the emotions and anxiety he had been bottling up over the last few years seemed like it was finally taking its toll. He found it difficult to breathe and his vision became a blur, _breathe, Armin_ , he reminded himself but it wasn't really helping.

“ _I told you before, Annie. You're forbidden from seeing this boy...And_ _ **you**_ , _stay away from my daughter or I'll get your parents thrown into prison...!”_

The man's voice was as clear as day in his ears. _Why am I remembering this now?_ Armin's knees shook beneath him and he was beginning to feel a heavy, tightness in his chest. It ached and he knew that he really needed to breathe properly. It felt like Annie's father had been haunting him over the years, but he had not been so scared in a long time. The man had terrorised him and his family. He had been one of the main reasons as to why his family had fled from Germany in the first place. The uncontrollable shaking did not stop and if anything got slightly worse. Armin closed his eyes for a moment and tried to block it all out and calm down. He was stressed and knew that if he was going to get to Germany safely he had to have his best thinking cap on and remain as calm as possible.

“Armin?” Eren's voice called, snapping Armin from his state. The blonds' eyes shot open and he saw his friend standing by the door frame with a look of concern plastered across his face, “Are you alright?” he questioned him.

“...I'm f-fine.” He lied. He was far from fine.

“You're not having second thoughts about this, are you?”

The blond quickly shook his head, “N-no, I'm just...a little nervous is all.”

“Just take deep breaths. Try to keep calm, okay?”

Armin nodded and did as his friend instructed him to do. Eren's presence alone was helping him to relax, and after a couple of minutes his breathing regulated and the feeling of pins and needles in his fingertips disappeared. He took out the last remaining items in the tin box with only slightly shaking hands, “Here I have your passport,” he beckoned Eren to come closer.

The brunet looked down at the 'official' document that Armin had forged, “Jäger?” he looked sceptically, “You've misspelt it.”

“I know, it's all a part of the plan. You need to have a German looking name. In fact it's lucky that your name is of German origin...”

Eren furrowed his brows, “Do you really think this will work, Armin? I know we've been over the plan many times but...” the brunet trailed off. He didn't want to have doubts either, especially not at the last minute.

“I'm c-confident it will,” Armin gave him a timid smile while at the same time trying to push all of his concerns and worries onto the back burner.

“I hope so.” Eren sat down on the edge of Armin's bed and ran a hand through his dark hair, he was clearly feeling somewhat anxious as well.

“Remember when Erwin Smith visited me in the hospital after I was attacked? It was shortly after I decided for sure that I wanted to do this.” Eren simply nodded in response, “He was shocked by my idea. He thought I was crazy but he respected me. He had faith in me, in _us_. If one person can have faith, then I'm sure we'll be alright.”

Armin thought back to the conversation he had with Erwin Smith in the hospital. Erwin was an American soldier stationed in London, he was tall, broad, with blond hair and chiselled features. He was the man who had saved his life only a couple of weeks back. The soldier had Armin's eternal gratitude, if he had not stopped to save him, he was certain he would have died from his injuries in that alleyway. Armin and Erwin talked for as long as the visiting hours allowed and of course the younger blond had been keen on telling the solider his plans about travelling back to Germany...

_After _explaining his strategy to the soldier he definitely seemed impressed,__ _“_ _You're a very brave young man to want to go ahead with something like this.”_

_“_ _Thank you.” Armin replied, not really knowing what else to say._

_“_ _If you are absolutely sure about your plan, I can assist you.”_

_“_ _Really? I'd be extremely grateful if you could offer any form of help, sir.”_

_“_ _Yes, your passion is something I rarely see in a person.”_

_“_ _I will write down my details and plan and if you still feel up to this in a few weeks once you have fully recovered, then I will be waiting for you whether you decide to go through with it or not.”_

_It was then that Erwin scribbled something down in the notebook beside Armin's bed and handed it back to him with a smile on his face._

Armin picked the notebook up and re-read the message that pretty much solidified the plan,

_“_ _Meet me at King's Cross St. Pancreas Station at 0:8:00 on Friday 15_ _th_ _September. From there we can travel to Dover, where you will be able to board a boat to France. I will be able to hand over any supplies I find to be beneficial for you both. “_

“Erwin's help will set us off on a great start.”

“I wonder what kind of things he will give us tomorrow” Eren wondered out loud.

“I have an idea, but I suppose we will find out tomorrow. Have you finished packing?”

“Yes, have you?” Eren questioned.

Armin nodded, “You had better get some rest soon. It will be a long few days ahead.” The blond warned and felt a wave of excitement and anxiousness flutter inside. He was almost shaking again at the thought.

“I'm more worried about you getting rest.” Eren raised his brows,

“I w-will.” Armin smiled again, although he wasn't sure of how much rest he would really get. He was nervous, and unbelievably so. Usually when he worked himself up into a state like that it was difficult to get any sleep at all.

“Well I'll leave you be, good night.” Eren stood from Armin's bed and made his way to the door.

“See you in the morning.” The blond responded and Eren gave him a wave as he exited the room completely and down the corridor to his own bedroom.

After placing the last remaining items into his suitcase and ensuring that everything he needed was there, Armin switched the light off and collapsed onto his bed. He did not sleep straight away as expected and instead stared out of the window, thinking.

Everything was set to go and Armin knew that it was now all down to fate. Fate would decide how everything was going to unfold.


	7. Chapter 7

**September, 1944**

Early in the morning of the 15th, Armin left the house he had lived in for the past seven years, by his side was his best friend Eren Yeager. He had only his trunk, his documents, a map and enough food to last a couple of days at least. Getting there was going to be tough, that much Armin knew. It was going to be a big risk, especially if they were caught by Germans. However, although the risk was high it was one Armin and Eren were willing to take. The boy took one last glance at the house he had practically grown up in and then turned his back on it and began to walk down the road.

The streets of London were littered with debris, broken bricks, shattered glass, wooden furniture and personal belongings scattered all over the place. Some streets were prohibited, with signs up saying 'No entry'. Other streets were all but empty, with practically every house and shop bombed out of existence. Of course, there were some parts, the luckier parts, which had somehow gone unscathed from the bombings and remained intact. Most of the damage had been afflicted during the Blitz, but a lot of it was down to the Nazi's V-1 rockets that were frequently dropped over the capital, just under a week ago the Germans had started using V-2 rockets that were even deadlier.

As he walked past the wreckage with his heavy trunk in hand, he wondered what kind of state Berlin was in. He had visited the capital of his homeland only once. He remembered taking the train from Rothenburg ob der Tauber with his parents and grandfather when he was only four or five years old to visit a museum, from what he could recall Berlin was a city somewhat similar to London. According to the radio reports throughout the past five years, Berlin had been practically destroyed by the Royal Air Force. Armin guessed the news reports would have most likely exaggerated the situation in Berlin slightly to keep morale up, but he had no doubt that the capital would be in a terrible state. It would not disrupt his journey to Germany though, because Armin had planned to get back to Rothenburg, his hometown, by going through France and then Switzerland. Sure, it would take considerably longer that way but it had to be done. Armin knew that it was impossible to travel directly from France into Germany and Berlin was a particular no-go zone for obvious reasons. Armin was beyond thankful that Switzerland had remained neutral in this conflict otherwise there would have been no hope, not unless the Nazis were about to surrender anytime soon.

The boys got the tram to the city centre and walked the rest of the way to Kings Cross station. Thankfully although the damage to London's transport system had been severe, it had never been crippling.

“Do you know whereabouts he will meet us exactly?” Eren questioned, looking around for the American soldier.

“No, we just have to look out for him.” Armin looked down to his watch, they were five minutes late. He started to panic.

“Well, it's not like he's hard to miss.”

Armin's blue eyes scanned around the area for the tall blond man, the station was not crowded but there were a large number of soldiers. Mixed among them were a few regular citizens dressed in black suits on their way to work.

“He's probably already left. He's a soldier...he doesn't have the time to be messing around with a pair of teenagers.” Eren muttered.

Just as Eren said those words, Armin could see the soldier standing on the platform. “There he is!”

As the pair approached Erwin Smith, he recognised them immediately and smiled. “So you decided to go through with your idea after all,” he greeted.

Armin nodded, “Yes sir. It's really kind of you to help us like this.”

“It's not a problem.”

“What do you have for us?” Eren questioned, curiosity getting the better of him.

“First and foremost, I have uniforms for you both. I wasn't sure of your sizes, but I got what I could.”

“And what exactly are the uniforms for?” Eren questioned.

“I doubt you will be able to board a boat without posing as a soldier. Although most of France has been liberated, there is still a war going on. Most boats have been converted into cargo ships or used solely for the troops.”

Getting across the Channel had been the most difficult part of the plan to consider, Armin had numerous ideas but he wasn't sure if any would work. Thankfully, with Erwin's help it seemed more likely they would be able to get onto a boat.

“When the boat docks you must remove the uniform and discard of it as soon as possible.”

Armin nodded, “Yes, it's better to look like a normal civilian, especially near the German border.”

“Better, but it still doesn't ensure your safety. You have to be extra careful, Armin. I would never have guessed you are a native German because of your English accent. “

Armin knew that his German accent had disappeared. It was only natural that after a couple of years in another country and especially being so young, he would lose it.

“You told me you are still fluent in the language, correct?”

Armin nodded, “Yes, I may be a little rusty, but I can still understand and speak it.” The blond boy had kept his mother tongue by reading German books and always spoke in German with his grandfather when the old man had been alive. He was confident enough that if someone tried to communicate with him he would not cause suspicion.

However, Eren was a different case. Over the last month, Armin had put in a significant amount of effort into teaching his friend the very basics of the language so that if he just so happened to be stopped, he could at least say _something_. However, it was still very dangerous and he could be easily caught out.

“Eren, once you cross the border into Germany you cannot communicate with anyone.” The American reinforced what Eren already knew.

“Remember to avoid eye-contact at all costs. Unless you look suspicious, nobody will approach you.” Eren swallowed and nodded, “There has also been a change of plans. You take the train to Gosport rather than Dover.”

“Why is that sir?” Armin questioned, always having it in mind that they would depart from the port at Dover.

“Dover will busier, you are more likely to get caught out. You told me you were going to forge official documentation, I hope you have that with you.”

“Y-yes of course. I altered both our dates of birth so that it appears we are both already eighteen.”

“And you have two sets of forged identification?”

Armin nodded, he had the identification he would show the French and British and then of course a separate passport to show the Germans.

“Right, well then, before you head off, I've got a couple more things to give to you both.” Erwin placed his large rucksack onto the ground and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, he handed it to both of the boys and Armin's blue eyes widened,

“How did you manage to get those? They're only available on the black market!”

“I got them while I was on leave, I went back home.”

Armin left Erwin lingering, “Wow, thank you sir but...I'm not a smoker.”

However, Eren made no hesitation to take the cigarettes from the soldier, “Armin are you crazy!?”

Armin turned to his friend, “Eren, you don't smoke either...”

“I do now!”

“Armin, please take them. You might need them. Here's a box of matches as well.” The American handed the box of matches to Eren who proceeded to light one up, he coughed after the first couple of puffs but smoked away after that. The blond just looked at his friend in disbelief.

“I assume you have food already, but this is more of a treat.” Next, the soldier produced two bars of chocolate, another luxury to both of the boys. Armin and Eren both gasped. “Once again, it's from the States.” Erwin assured Armin.

“Sir, you really don't have to...”

“Listen kid, you probably don't even realise what you're about to get yourselves into.”

Armin gulped, Erwin was right. He had seen the horrors of the war, he was a soldier who had probably killed and for sure seen his comrades die. Without further hesitation, Armin accepted the gift.

“And now here is some advice for you both. I've said it once but I'll say it again, avoid eye-contact at all costs, especially when you get nearer to the border. Even in France there will still be a few Germans around...”

“We understand.” Armin replied.

“I must say I don't know whether to call you brave or insane. Although, you remind me of myself at your age, my family and friends never thought my head was screwed on right...” Erwin let out a half-hearted chuckle.

“We really appreciate all of this, sir. Honestly, I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you and I definitely wouldn't be able to go through with this plan.”

“It's the least I can do.”

“Well I guess then this is farewell,” Armin was used to those. The boy extended out his hand for the soldier.

“For now yes it is. I'll write down my address back in the States, you can write to me.” Erwin dipped into his rucksack once again and scribbled it down onto a piece of paper.

“I will sir!”

“Good luck, Armin. Good luck to you too, Eren.” Erwin and Eren shook hands and the brunet also thanked the soldier.

Armin smiled and gave the man a nod, “Take care.”

* * *

The train to Gosport was a long ride. Waiting for a boat was even longer. The boys kept themselves to themselves, wanting to remain as distance as possible from the other men. Erwin had been correct in saying that Gosport was less busy. There was a fair amount of soldiers, but most likely nothing on the scale of the amount at Dover. It was all day before the boat eventually came in. The tedious wait had made Armin awfully anxious and when he was finally able to sit down on board, he felt the strong urge for a cigarette, despite never actually smoking before in his life.

“I need to calm my nerves,” he explained with shaky hands. Armin chocked on the smoke after just one puff, but he desperately wanted to man up, and so he continued to smoke it until he started to have a coughing fit. In the end Eren took the cigarette from his hands and finished it himself.

Needless to say, Armin felt pathetic. It didn't help that his uniform was much too large for him, which made him feel even more self-conscious. Naturally, Eren's fit perfectly and he looked like a proper soldier, if Armin was honest, he really couldn't wait to get rid of the thing. His heart had skipped a beat when he was asked how old he was by another soldier, who was in disbelief that he was really eighteen. Of course the man's doubts were correct because Armin wouldn't be eighteen for another couple of months. He knew he looked young for his age, what with his boyish-like face and hairstyle, but he wasn't about to cut it anytime soon. It was signature to him, and had always been the same since he was a young child, if not just a little longer these days. His blond locks rested on his neck but above his shoulders and he had started to tie it back as of late, even despite it not being that long, simply as a change of style but also for practical reasons. He didn't care if it wasn't in fashion, Armin wasn't someone who would willingly conform to something superficial like that. He preferred to be unique and keep his own identity rather than follow the herd.

Apart from some small chitchat, there was little talk during the entirety of the trip. Both the boys even got a little shut-eye as they were travelling through the night. Armin was thankful that the sea was incredibly calm, he remembered as clear as day how terribly sea-sick he got when he last crossed the Channel seven years ago. However, it was almost as if the sea was too calm, something Armin did not expect at this time of the year as autumn was arriving and the winds were getting more aggressive.

 _The calm before the storm..._ he thought uneasily and the boy's stomach flipped over for the hundredth time. Armin looked at Eren who had dozed off again and pushed the thought to the back of his mind in an attempt to get some more rest.

It wasn't until early the following morning when the ship finally docked in Arromanches, France. Armin and Eren knew that there was no going back at that point. Without hesitation but without looking suspicious, the boys separated from the group of soldiers. Thankfully nobody seemed to notice as they parted from the crowd. Armin knew that in a way, he was no longer protected and he would have to somehow pull off posing as a French civilian. The boys walked to the closest village where they would change out of their uniforms into their normal clothes. The village was not in the best of conditions, obviously the Germans had put up a fight and the place was almost destroyed. Much like London, many buildings had been damaged. The area was scarce of people and nobody spoke English. Eventually they found a small café where a woman greeted them kindly and gave them both food and drink without asking for anything in return. Armin felt extremely guilty, as he knew he was only getting special treatment because the woman believed him to be a soldier. Before leaving, they went into the restrooms and changed.

“So what's next?” Eren asked his friend who was looking down at a map.

“We need to get into Paris. From there we can take a train into Bern. After that we take the train to Basel which is near the Swiss-German border and from there we can literally walk into Germany. It gets more complicated once we are actually in Germany though,” Armin explained, his eyes fixated intensely on the map in his hands.

“If I remember correctly, your hometown is in Bavaria isn't it?” Eren asked.

“Yes that's right. I just pray that there is not too much damage to the train lines across Germany, or I really don't know what we will do.”

Eren's face formed into a firm line, the brunet was unsure of what was ahead and the whole idea of this crazy plan was starting to really sink in.

“We just have to remain positive and be careful.” Armin gave him a smile and Eren nodded, “Perhaps we can get a little rest once we reach Paris.” He added, already feeling exhausted.

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

A day and a half passed and the boys were finally on board a train from Paris to the capital of Switzerland. There was a triumphant atmosphere in Paris and it had given Armin hope. The Parisians were in high spirits after the victory just a month earlier. Armin couldn't help but feel optimistic after being surrounded by the positivity. At this point he realised that they were already almost half-way there.

_Half-way to finally being able to see Annie once again..._

Eren slept on the train but Armin was still buzzing and unable to sleep. He knew it would come back to bite him later but he couldn't help it. Luckily, once they reached Switzerland they were in a safe haven for just a little while. That being said, Armin was surprised to find that Switzerland had been bombed in places but at least there wasn't any German soldiers roaming around. By the time they boarded the train to Basel Armin had dark circles under his eyes and was no longer interested in the passing scenery. He rested his head on the glass window, too tired to even care about the discomfort of the rattling vibrations. Despite being nervous and excited about what was to come, he succumbed to sleep.

When Armin finally woke, they had all but arrived in the city of Basel. The teenager had not realised how tiring travelling really was. They travelled to the outskirts of Basel and then came across a place where they could spend the night. A young woman with a bubbly but somewhat eccentric personality took them in and introduced herself as Sasha Blouse. Sasha's father owned a bakery and provided the boys with a large amount of freshly made bread. Although they were both fatigued it was nice to talk to someone other than each other. Sasha Blouse could speak English well and so Eren was able to join in on the conversation over a late evening supper,

“You _really_ travelled here all the way from England!?” the brunette girl exclaimed, Armin smiled bashfully and nodded.

“I've told him he's absolutely insane.” Eren laughed,

“Well, you agreed to come with me...” Armin responded.

“But why?” Sasha asked. She looked completely dumbfounded.

“I am originally from Germany and I made a promise to a girl many years ago that I would return one day.” Armin kept it short and to the point, not feeling like going into the ins and outs at that moment.

“You do realise how bad Germany is right now though?”

Armin nodded, “Yes, but we're both willing to take the risk. We've already come this far so there is no point turning back now, however scary it might seem.”

Sasha nodded and took a bite out of a roll, she then turned her head to the darker haired boy, “And what about you? Why have you come all this way, apart from accompanying your friend.”

“I gather you've heard about the blitz?” Eren began, Sasha nodded her head, “My house was bombed and my mother was killed. Since then I've wanted to get revenge. Joining the army was always something I wanted to do, but because I'm underage I can't.” The same fire was burning in Eren's eyes once again and his whole body tensed up as he spoke.

“Forgive me but, what are you going to do about it? I mean, you're seventeen years old. You're not a soldier...how do you expect to do anything once you get to Germany?” the girl casually took another bite from her roll but almost jumped out of her seat as Eren suddenly banged his fist against the table,

“Tch, I'll pretend to be a soldier. I'll do whatever, so long as I can kill some of those Nazi bastards.” Eren's eyes remained downcast and a moment later left the table, muttering a quiet “Good night.”

Armin did not really want to get involved in too much conflict once in Germany, he knew that realistically there was not a lot that they could do and he felt guilty for telling Eren that he would be able to take his revenge only to coax him into coming along with him. The more the blond thought about it, the worse he felt. If something really terrible happened to Eren, it would all be his fault.

“I think I'll go to bed now too, it's been a tiring couple of days. Thank you very much for the meal, Sasha.” Armin spoke in German to the girl and she smiled brightly at him,

“Gute nacht!” she replied.

* * *

The next morning, after thanking Sasha Blouse once more and saying their farewells, Eren and Armin set off for Germany. They took a tram to another part of the town but then walked for what seemed like miles and miles.

“We're not lost are we?” Eren stopped and turned to Armin, he was starting to look frustrated, “How will we even know when we reach Germany?”

“Calm down, Eren. I have a map here. And we'll know once we start seeing soldiers.”

“The thought is already making my blood boil.” the brunet muttered.

“Come on, let's keep moving.”

It was an extremely long trek across fields and rough paths, damaged from accidental bombings but eventually they found themselves in a German town named Weil am Rhein. For a moment, Armin had to stop to take it all in.

_I'm finally back. It's been seven years since I've stepped on German soil...I'm literally only several hundred kilometres from Rothenburg ob der Tauber. I'm a few hours away. I'm so close...So close to her..._

There was a surprising lack of soldiers in the area, but there was a lot of people who were clearly refugees trying to get across the border into Switzerland. Armin could have almost laughed at the irony...

_There are so many people fleeing Germany and I've travelled all across Europe to get in._

“Eren, how are you feeling?” Armin asked, Eren took out a cigarette and lit it up,

“Could be better, but we're close now right? How much more do we need to travel?”

“We will need to get the train to Munich. It should only be a couple of hours at best. Munich is the capital of Bavaria and not too far from my hometown. But Eren, from now on we have to be on guard, Munich will be thronging with soldiers. Just remember to let me do the talking if we're stopped.” The blond warned, knowing that things were about to get considerably more dangerous. It was now a matter of life and death.

“I understand.”

The boys walked to the closest train station and were relieved to find that trains were operating. They waited a while for a train, but they knew they wouldn't be on board for too long in comparison to the journey between France and Switzerland. Armin found it impossible to relax, his heart was thumping wildly in his chest throughout the ride. He was sure someone would look at them and find them suspicious, especially when soldiers came on board and Eren began to tense up. Armin looked down to his hands and saw that his fists were balled up so tightly that his skin had turned white.

“Calm down.” Armin whispered almost inaudibly, but it did little to change Eren's hostile body language.

The train did not reach Munich until late evening, by then it was already dark.

“I think I'm going to be sick.” Eren cursed once they were off the train and back on the streets.

“I feel the same way.” The blond really did feel sick, but not for the same reason as his friend. Armin was ill with nerves and felt like throwing up any minute.

“This place looks as bad as London.” Eren looked around, although it was dark it was obvious how bad the damage was to the city. Buildings and monuments had been completely destroyed.

“It looks worse.” Armin commented feeling almost sad. He only hoped his hometown had not perished during the war and that Annie was safe.

“Good. It's a result for us!”

“Be quiet, Eren...remember where you are.” Armin's voice was considerably quieter than his friends'. Eren really needed to keep a low profile, at this rate they were bound to be discovered.

“Alright.” The brunet snapped back and folded his arms across his chest.

“We should try to find somewhere to stay...” Armin bit down on his lip, he felt fear grow inside of him at the realisation of the predicament they were now in. They had nowhere to go. It wasn't like they could find a nice friendly inn like in Switzerland. This was Germany, a warzone. It dawned on Armin that they could be killed any second if an air raid started.

“How on earth are we going to do that?” Even Eren was beginning to look scared at their current situation.

“We just need to find shelter somewhere then—”

All of a sudden, Armin was cut off by a strike to the back of his head that left him kneeling on the ground. Before he could recover, his trunk was grabbed. Armin panicked and he could feel natural instincts of fight or flight kick in.

“HEY!” Eren shouted, his friend had obviously chosen to fight.

When Armin looked up, he expected to see Eren fighting with a soldier. He almost couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the boy retaliating against a normal civilian, not only that but she was female. The blond almost shouted at him to stop, because surely it was some kind of misunderstanding.

“Give it back!” Eren shouted and grabbed hold of her arm. He swiftly pulled out his pocket knife on her and Armin's blue eyes widened.

“EREN!” Armin brought himself to his feet faster than what he thought was possible. A huge amount of adrenaline was rushing through his veins. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears and everything seemed like a blur. “Eren stop!” he tried to pull his friend away from the female thief, but it was to no avail. Eren held the knife up and tried to lash out at her with it. The girl was quick to dodge the attacks but Eren managed to catch her face ever so slightly. The knife grazed over the girl's left cheek, just a few centimetres below her eye.

Blood trickled down her pale skin but her eyes portrayed no fear whatsoever. She looked like nobody Armin had ever seen in his life. She was tall for a woman, her hair was pitch black and her skin porcelain. She looked Eurasian in appearance, definitely not a native German.

“Listen bitch,” Eren snapped aggressively and tried to shove her back, despite her appearance, the girl was considerably stronger than him. He couldn't fight back against her, which only angered him more. Eren had hold of her arm for only a couple more seconds before she rived from his grasp and fled.

They chased after her, but their speed was no match. At that moment, Armin's heart sank into his stomach. He tried to bite back the tears, but did not even have the energy or the will to do so. He had been robbed of everything and was left deserted in the heart of a warzone. It was all over now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is really busy, but that's because this is where the story is about to really kick off! Please leave a comment and tell me what you think. I will be trying my best to post regular updates from now on.


	8. Chapter 8

**September, 1944**

“It's gone...!” Armin cried, “Annie's ring...!”

The teen felt light-headed and sick as he sobbed. Armin didn't care much for food or clothes at that point, his most prized possessions had been stolen, the teddy he had received from his parents, photographs of his grandfather...gone. Annie's ring had been taken, he had lost the thing that had metaphorically speaking kept them bound together for the past seven years. What was he to do now? Was this the end? These thoughts whirled around in Armin's head, making him feel even worse.

Suddenly Eren saw red, he grabbed the blond by his collar and dragged him to his feet, “Her _ring_!? Is that all you care about!?” he shouted, not even caring who could hear him. Armin blinked and more tears ran down his cheeks, “Wake up Armin. We're stranded in enemy territory and all you give a damn about is some girl's ring!? You're being fucking ridiculous!”

_He's right, I am. My main priority right now should be to get us both to safety but, I don't even know how. I don't know where to go from here. My map has been stolen along with everything else..._

The blond teen was given an abrupt awakening when Eren shoved him back and he fell to the ground. Armin winced and stared up at his friend who wasn't even looking in his direction. Eren was clearly disappointed, if not disgusted at him for landing them in this disaster.

“I'm so sorry, Eren.” Armin's voice came out quietly and he looked downwards. He didn't feel like crying anymore, he felt empty all of a sudden. All was lost and he was probably going to die soon. “I've been so foolish...” he muttered almost to himself.

There was a long period of silence until Eren spoke again, “Get up.” the darker haired boy demanded. Armin struggled to stand as his legs were shaking, but nevertheless he brought himself to his feet. “Remind yourself, why are you here?” The blond remained silent for several seconds, “Answer, Armin.” Eren's turquoise eyes locked with his blue ones.

“I'm...I'm here for Annie.” The boy's voice was only barely above a whisper, but his words had a significant impact on his mentality. Eren reminded him of his purpose. There was no doubt that it would be arduous without his belongings, but he couldn't just give up. Not after coming so far already, not after getting so close to his hometown.

“So man up, and let's get the hell out of this mess.”

The blond nodded and wiped away any remaining tears from his face.

_I have to stop carrying on like a child. I can't be cowardly anymore. People only a little older than myself have gone away to fight in this war and here I am, breaking down over something that is not really that big of a deal. I need to become stronger if I want to see Annie again._

Armin rubbed his temples while racking his brain for an idea of where to go from here, he took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “We should try to find the closest train station. I doubt the trains will be running for much longer but we can always take shelter in the station over night and then take one first thing tomorrow morning. There is now only one problem, if there is an air raid, we don't exactly have much protection.”

“Can we not just go back to the train station we got off at?” Eren questioned.

“No, there are no trains running to Rothenburg from that station, we need to find another one.”

“Wouldn't it make more sense to find shelter for tonight? Then tomorrow we look for the station?” Eren raised his eyebrows. He knew that Armin was always the one to come up with the plans and was by far more intelligent than himself or anyone he had ever met, but it seemed like his blond friend was not thinking straight, perhaps he was still in shock.

“It would be, but given the circumstances, I need to find Annie as soon as possible now. I don't have any clothes, money, food or anything. I can't survive on the streets like this for too long. I might just have to ask a civilian for directions.”

“Armin...” Eren bit his tongue, but in the end said what needed to be said, “I think you need to prepare yourself for the worst case scenario. That is, if Annie Leonhart is dead or not where you think she is. You said it's been seven years...A lot can change in seven years.”

A rare emotion flickered in Armin's eyes, “Don't say something like that at a time like this.” The boy quickly looked down to his feet, unable to even look at Eren at that moment. He could feel the anger swirling inside of him and he didn't want to end up saying something he would later regret.

“You're a realist. You know how cruel this world can be so why aren't you listening to me now!?” Eren raised his voice again.

“Keep quiet will you?” Armin hissed, “Do you honestly think these thoughts haven't already crossed my mind!? Ever since this wretched war began I've been worrying sick about her. I realise she could be dead, I realise she might not even be in Rothenburg. I realise that for all I know, Rothenburg could have been bombed so terribly that it is now in ruins and everyone is dead. If that is the case, at least I can say I've tried. I'm going back to my hometown no matter what.”

“I just felt like your head was in the clouds for a moment there, sorry.” Eren mumbled quietly but his comment only seemed to anger Armin more.

“My head has never been in the clouds, unlike yours! You think you can go around killing Nazis when you're not even a soldier? You don't have a uniform or a gun. You have no right! Why do I have the feeling that the reason you're saying all of this now is because _you_ are having second thoughts and think we should turn back?”

Eren was sure he had never seen Armin so riled up before. The boy's eyes were full of hurt and anger, his voice may have been quiet but his words were powerful enough.

“I'm not having second thoughts.” The brunet stated firmly, “And I know I'm not a soldier...but I _will_ be.”

“I really hope you're not, Eren. I need you.” Armin made eye-contact with Eren again, this time his eyes were pleading with him and his brows were furrowed, “A few moments ago you told me to man up and so I have.” he added.

“Of course I'm not! I told you before Armin, I'm with you every step of the way.”

There was brief hesitancy, but then Armin gave Eren a small smile. The smile was quickly wiped from the teen's face when a gunshot was heard from not too far in the distance. Armin's eyes widened and he turned his head in the direction of the noise, some shouting could be heard, but he was unable to make out what they were saying. His heart was thumping again, he sensed danger.

“We need to get out of here.” There was urgency in his tone as he addressed his friend.

Another shot was heard and the boys started to run in the opposite direction.

“I changed my mind. You were r-right, Eren. We need to find shelter before anything else.” Armin addressed the darker boy as they ran. Finding a train station to get into Rothenburg could wait until daylight.

The boys turned a corner but came to an abrupt halt when they saw a soldier standing opposite of them with a gun. They froze in the spot, their bodies tensed up immediately.

The solider was dark haired with a rather strange bowl cut, “Why are you boys wandering around at this time of night?” he addressed them both in German. Armin swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to ignore how his lip had begun to quiver.

“We were just on our way home, sir.” he managed to articulate, despite being petrified.

“Good. It is not safe for you. The allies can start bombing us anytime after dark.”

Armin nodded slowly, mostly relieved that his accent had not changed too much and that the soldier did not seem suspicious at all.

“Not all of the soldiers are good people, either. The SS will shoot you if they think they have good enough reason for it,” the soldier continued and Armin's mouth went dry again.

“But we pledged our allegiance to the Führer.” Armin spoke cautiously and tried to keep a calm composure even despite the words he spoke made him feel sick to his stomach. He had always considered himself to be a good liar, not that he made a habit of it. He only hoped that now this talent of his would shine. It was a matter of life and death, after all.

“It doesn't matter. You're not in uniform, so you're clearly not fighting for the fatherland or the Führer. I'm not angry at you, I'm simply warning you to watch your back.”

The blond nodded once again, “I will, sir.”

“I personally think it is disgusting, what the SS do...” Armin remained silent, “I want us to be lead to victory. But not by them.”

Armin looked to Eren who was clearly on edge, he couldn't understand what was being said and the confusion was evident on his face.

“I...I heard a gunshot back there, do you think it was the SS?” Armin questioned.

“Most likely, as I said, be careful. You should also watch out for looters and thieves...a lot of people's morals have gone down the drain.”

“We will...Thank you, sir.” Armin was almost tempted to mention how he had been robbed, but he knew he had to get out of there quickly. Instead of keeping up conversation with the soldier he continued to walk straight ahead and Eren followed closely behind. It took every ounce of his willpower to not bolt down the street.

Once they were far out of earshot, Eren turned to Armin, “What was that all about?”

“He was warning us about the SS.” Armin answered. The boy was shocked himself, he knew that the Nazis had turned against the Jews and other minorities—that had been going on for years, but it now seemed like the SS had turned on their own people too. Nobody was safe. “He also mentioned looters and thieves. I guess this place has been damaged so badly that some people no longer even care. Or maybe they're just so desperate and have to resort to stealing...” Armin clenched his fists.

_If only I had had enough strength to fight back against that girl, I could have saved my belongings, but maybe she really was desperate...Maybe her life was depending on it. Now that I think about it, her clothes did look rather ragged and she was awfully thin, yet, she was still so strong._

“We need to find a safe place to stay for the night.” Armin repeated, “It's not safe at all to be roaming the streets now.”

“Okay. We will just have to put our best foot forward.”

* * *

The boys traipsed through the streets of Munich never letting their guard down once. An hour or so passed and they had little luck in finding a safe place to stay. Armin's eyes were beginning to feel heavy with fatigue and all he really wanted was to find somewhere to rest his head for the night.

“ _Lass mich los…! (Let go of me…!)”_ the sudden sound of a female voice cried out in the distance, her voice cut through the quiet of the night and startled them both. Armin and Eren immediately tensed up and were on full alert. Her voice was accompanied by the rowdy shouts and laughter of men, they were clearly harassing her.

“What was that?” Eren looked to Armin, his brows furrowed.

“She's in trouble!” Armin was already panicking, he knew he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. It sounded as if there were more than two men attacking her. It would go against all of his morals to ignore her.

“It's probably the SS soldiers you were talking about…those bastards!” Eren clenched his fists as if prepared for a fight.

“W-we have to do something…”

Eren had already started to run in the direction of where the noise was coming from and the blond ran after him. The men seemed to be getting angrier and louder.

When they turned a corner, Armin's breath hitched in his throat. He could see three SS soldiers cornering a young woman. It took him seconds to work out that the soldiers were drunk, he could smell the strong scent of alcohol permitting off of them even from where he stood several metres away. A wave of nausea passed over him as he realised what they were doing to her.

She was rammed up against a wall, her skirt rolled all the way up to the top of her pale thighs. Her white shirt was unbuttoned half-way down to her chest, exposing her flesh and undergarments. A cardigan was discarded on the floor. One of the soldiers had his filthy hands all over her, while the other two made sure she couldn't escape. Armin grimaced, he didn't look at her face. He couldn't bear to. These soldiers, no, these _monsters_ were trying to rape her.

The men had clearly not noticed the two boys behind them as they continued touching her, the soldier's hands continued to work on her shirt and he undone several more of her buttons, almost uncovering her chest completely.

“Bitte… (Please)” she pleaded and when no mercy was given, the girl tried to lash out. “Schweine! (Pigs!)” She spat in their face. This resulted in harsh slap across her face, the sound of the impact echoed throughout the empty street and a quiet whimper escaped from her lips.

“Oi, be a good girl, will you?” one of them slurred, his voice made Armin sick to his core. The girl downcast her view and her dark hair covered her features. The soldier wasn't having any of that and grabbed her jaw to make her face him, her body turned stiff and defensive and a single tear slid down her cheek. The soldier's hand then started to trail up her leg and Armin looked away to Eren, who could clearly not take any more of this. The darker haired boy was fuming and his body trembled with rage.

 _How am I going to save her!? How can I take them on…!?_ Armin thought frantically. His heart was thumping against his ribcage and he could only seem to watch at the horror that was unfolding before him.

Eren had clearly not given it a second thought and being impulsive as always, he lunged at them.

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!” he hollered and the Nazis immediately turned around. They looked confused at first, obviously not understanding him. Their confusion soon turned to anger and they began to shout right back at him in incoherent German. Eren discarded his trunk and went to attack one of the soldiers, “Nazi scum!” he screamed. Armin stood back, paralysed by his own fear.

_Why…Why can't I move! Why am I unable to help?_

Armin watched as Eren was thrown to the around, his attempt was futile against the Nazi. However, he did not stay down for long and was already up again. He hurled another punch at one of the soldiers, this time he hit and the man stumbled back in his drunken state. “Take that!”

However, there was two other soldiers right there. It was three against one and Eren was quickly tossed to the ground again. They started to kick and stamp on him with their big heavy boots. Meanwhile, Armin tried to move, but his legs were glued to the ground. He saw his best friend being beaten and pathetically could not do a thing to help.

“I'm useless…” he whispered and he could feel himself start to shake. He balled his fists and soon noticed that his body shook with anger rather than nerves. The Germans were mocking Eren and laughing in his face. When one of the Nazis spat on the boy, Armin snapped.

He couldn't stand for it and although he was terrified he wouldn't allow them to get away with it. It was time to man up and do what was right for once.

He ran towards the men with so much adrenaline coursing through his body it felt as though his veins were on fire. Armin swung at one of the Nazis with all the strength he was able to muster and his knuckles crashed into the man's nose.

“Sie Stücke von Scheisse! (You pieces of shit!)” the blond screeched.

The men were briefly caught off guard by Armin's sudden appearance and it gave enough time for Eren to be able to bring himself to his feet. The brunet wiped his mouth clean of blood and pulled out his pocket knife, he kept it hidden behind his back away from the Nazi's view.

Armin went to hit again, but one of the soldiers grabbed hold of his wrist and twisted it painfully. The blond boy winced and shuddered in agony. Before Armin could even blink, he was knocked down to the ground by a painful punch in the face.

Armin could hear the Nazis laughing. It was a cruel, sadistic sound that made his ears bleed. Armin's body felt heavy and he couldn't get up. The teen watched as the men staggered towards the girl once more. Armin looked again to his friend, who although was injured, had not given up defending her.

The brunet rushed towards her and stood in front of her, acting as a shield. The men scowled and sneered at him,

“Come on kid seriously? Give us a break. I know you want to fuck her but you can wait in line,” one of them let out a callous laugh as he spoke, “We'll leave you a piece.” Another one added and they all laughed again. They were obviously drunk out of their minds and it was lucky that none of them seemed to be armed.

Eren did not understand a word of what was said to him, but the look on the man's face was making his blood boil. He was fuming and there was a dangerous look in his turquoise eyes.

“Shut the fuck up.” Of course they didn't know what he said, but that didn't matter, “Die Nazi bastard”, the teen then revealed his pocket knife which he had kept hidden in one hand behind his back. Before the soldier could react in time, the knife was plunged into his chest.

Armin gasped, the girl screamed and Eren laughed.

The boy pulled the knife back out and stabbed him a second time. The man's mouth fell open as the wind was stabbed out of his chest. For whatever reason, the other two soldiers stood in shock for several seconds. Perhaps it was the alcohol which had slowed down their brains. However, when it sunk in what had happened, they quickly tried to grab the knife and attack Eren with it.

Eren put up a fight but he wasn't alone. The girl defended him and suddenly pounced on the Nazis, her body shook but her strikes were powerful. She kicked one of them to ground and Eren clutched his knife with more force than before. He gouged the second soldier's neck and attacked it several times with the blade. The man howled and cried for Eren to stop, but the boy did not until the man was dead.

The third soldier's pupils contracted and his eyes were wide in terror. He looked like a cornered animal. In one final attempt at saving his own life, he lurched towards the young woman and wrapped his hands around her neck. He began to throttle her and raised her from the ground.

The woman started to choke and cough, she kicked at the soldier but he didn't let go.

“RELEASE HER!” Eren went berserk. He stabbed the man in the side and he instantly dropped the young woman. She fell to the ground and looked up as Eren continued to stab him.

Armin closed his eyes, unable to watch any longer.

When the last solider met his bitter end, Eren dropped the knife. It clattered to the ground and the blond re-opened his eyes. He watched as his friend stared down at his own hands in pure and utter shock. After a long moment, slowly, the brunet turned around to the young woman, realising that she was still there.

“Are you oka—” Eren stopped in mid-sentence as he looked at the girl's face properly for the first time, “It's… _you_ …” he whispered, recognising her instantly.

The girl's black hair and pale white skin were simply unforgettable, it was her without a doubt. There was even the red mark under her left eye, where he had grazed her with his pocket knife earlier. She was the thief.

Armin finally rested his eyes on the woman, too, and he blinked in disbelief.

Initially, Eren was irate. He glowered at her, but his rage quickly faded as he looked into her grey eyes. She was terrified.

“…I'm sorry.” She spoke in English, which surprised the boy. She then looked down and brought her hands over her shirt to maintain some kind of dignity. Eren watched as she shivered slightly and he felt his heart lurch in his chest.

“You can speak English?” was all he said and the girl nodded pitifully, not even able to look him in the eye.

She began to shake more vigorously and Eren thought fast and picked up her cardigan, he placed it over her shoulders and she quickly fastened it, he then rushed over to his trunk and pulled out a red scarf he had packed for himself for when the weather turned cold.

Eren wrapped the scarf around the girl's neck and her eyes widened in surprise. She looked up at him and her fingers instantly ran over it's soft fabric. “Thank you.” She whispered gratefully, Eren just frowned.

“You can keep it, but in return we want our belongings back.” Eren beckoned over to his shorter friend and the girl's eyes trailed over to the blond boy who had only just managed to stand up again. She withdrew into the scarf, her mouth almost completely covered by the garment.

The girl then nodded, “Of course…I apologise, once again.” she looked so deeply ashamed and for some reason Eren could not feel angry at her anymore.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“Mikasa Ackerman.”


	9. Chapter 9

**September, 1944**

“We must leave” Mikasa announced, her tone was flat in spite of everything.

Eren looked down at the dead bodies of the soldiers who he had murdered just moments ago. His hands still shook in shock. He was a murderer, and it was finally starting to sink in as the adrenaline wore off. There was a potent smell of blood in the air and Eren noticed that it was not only the blood of the dead, but his own as well. He was fine a minute ago, but the brunet suddenly found that he was unable to talk or move.

“Eren _...Eren_!” Armin ran over to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder, “We really do need to leave.” the blond repeated and unlike Mikasa, Armin's tone was urgent. Eren's injuries had to be tended to, and even more importantly, they had to find shelter. If they were caught here, it would not end well for any of them.

“...Right...” Eren nodded slowly and there was a vacant look in his turquoise eyes for a brief moment, but then Mikasa took hold of his arm and he seemed to snap out of his daze. The boy's eyes trailed down to the girl's hand and then shot back up to her face.

“Eren,” the girl's voice was soft like silk as she spoke, “If you will let me, I can help you and your friend.” Eren simply nodded and went to grab his trunk. Mikasa looked to Armin, who was more than willing to accept her offer. There was simply no time to question if the girl had ill intentions. She was their only hope at this point and he pushed any doubts he had to the back of his mind.

“I apologise, I did not catch your name.” The girl stared at the blond boy expectantly, waiting for an answer.

“Mein Name ist Armin Arlert.”

A quiet gasp escaped Mikasa's lips, “Sind Sie Deutscher? (Are you German?)”

“Ja,” Armin was about to ask where Mikasa was from, because although she spoke with a German accent, she looked so different to any German woman he had ever seen. She was beyond beautiful, with almond shaped eyes and hair the colour of the night sky.

However, once Eren returned with his trunk, Mikasa turned her attention away from Armin to the darker haired boy. “Let's go.”

She led them hurriedly away from the scene, twisting and turning in and out of streets and alleyways. Eren seemed to remain silent as they walked, he was quite visibly disturbed by what he had done. However, as their surroundings became stranger, the brunet couldn't help but question the girl with the jet black hair.

“Where are you leading us?” he called out.

Mikasa kept walking forward, but turned her head back to address him, “Home.”

“Where is 'home'?” he probed.

“You will see soon enough, now if you please, keep your voice down.” Mikasa placed a finger over her mouth and picked up the pace. The long red scarf she wore fluttered behind her as she walked and Armin almost struggled to keep up.

Eren was still a tad distrusting of the girl and his blond friend couldn't help but feel the same way. Armin wondered if he was being feeble-minded, following the mysterious girl who only a couple of hours ago had robbed him of everything he owned. Even so, neither of them continued to voice their concerns. After all, it was not like they really had any other option but to follow her, especially since the blond wanted his belongings back. Eventually, they were brought to a grim and desolate looking backstreet on the border of the city. The boys became even more hesitant as Mikasa stood above a wooden trapdoor that appeared to be an entrance to an old underground cellar.

An uneasy feeling grew in the pit of Armin's stomach as Mikasa stood over the entrance. Her grey eyes cautiously scanned the surrounding area, making sure that nobody was around before giving the door two quick taps with her foot, a pause, followed by another tap and a pause, then two quick taps again and one with the back of her heel. It was seemingly a secret knock and the girl stood patiently, waiting for an answer.

“You live here?” Armin whispered to her, and the girl diverted her gaze away from his blue eyes, it appeared as if she was ashamed by her circumstances.

“Yes…I will explain everything later.”

Armin swallowed a lump in his throat. He could only guess the girl must be living in an underground bunker, similar to the ones that existed in London to protect the citizens from German bombs. Maybe the girl was in hiding, perhaps she was being persecuted and was forced to live underground. Her appearance was Eastern and her name was not of European origin. Armin knew that she was of an ethic minority that Hitler most likely wanted to get rid of. She probably had a tough life, especially if she had to resort to stealing from people.

“You're not going to rob us of what we have left and then kill us if we go down there with you, are you?” the darker haired boy suddenly blurted out.

“ _Eren_...” Armin hissed. Sometimes the brunet really was too blunt for his own good. Though, Armin was mulling over it too. He came to the conclusion that there was no way they could really avoid their fate if she was going leading them into a trap because they were here now and they had nowhere else to turn to.

Guilt washed over Mikasa's face and she averted her grey eyes from the brunet, “It's understandable that you do not trust me, but I owe you everything. You saved me so please believe that I will not bring you any harm. However, in the end, it is your own choice whether you come with me or not. I cannot force you.” The Eastern girl retracted into the scarf once again and Eren sighed,

“We'll go with you.” he replied quietly, and moments later, the sound of a bolt sliding across a latch alerted the three that the trapdoor was unlocked.

Mikasa hastily pulled it open and someone's quick footsteps could be heard making their way down into the bunker, but Armin was unable to catch a glimpse of the person who had unlocked the door as it was very dark inside. The blond continued to peer over the trapdoor, still feeling apprehensive about going down there. Mikasa stepped inside and beckoned the two to follow her, “Please, come quickly.”

Armin's heart hammered against his chest as he stepped down into the bunker. He followed behind Mikasa as they walked down a steep set of concrete steps. They were plunged into darkness and Armin was unable to even see the girl in front of him. The boy jumped out of his skin when the sound of a door being shut echoed in his ears, “Do not worry.” Mikasa assured, but it did little to help ease his worry. His mouth became considerably drier and his stomach churned, all that could be heard was their own footsteps and Armin's heavy breathing. It seemed like the panic was consuming him as they travelled further down. It was quite damp and there was a strong earthy smell lingering in the air as they got deeper, the temperature dropped drastically and the blond couldn't help but shiver slightly. He had been in underground shelters before, but never one quite this far down. When they finally reached the bottom of the staircase there was another wooden door. Mikasa knocked again, this time, with a code different to the one for the trapdoor. The blond boy blinked a couple of times as the door swung open, revealing a very short man with hair as dark as Mikasa's and piercing blue eyes. The room behind him was lit by candles and several oil lamps. He did not look happy with the company to say the least, and he had a menacing demeanour that set fear into Armin's heart.

“Qui diable sont-ils? (Who the hell are they?)” The short man's tone was sour as he spoke, but neither of the boys could understand what he had said. He was French, or at least that was the language he was speaking. Armin felt somewhat relieved by this.

“Eren et Armin.” Mikasa responded back. It appeared as though she was multilingual, “They saved my life. I must return a favour, they have nowhere to go and...” the pale girl stopped, feeling shame creep up on her again, “I stole from them earlier...it was a mistake and I must return to them what I took.” The Frenchman gave both of the teens a long and scrutinising look before speaking again, “Nationalité?”

“British and German, they mean no harm.”

“ _Un_ _allemand!? (German!?)_ “ the man raised his voice and Armin could understand enough, as a result he became increasingly more uncomfortable and anxious. Understandably, the Frenchman was clearly upset because he was German.

“They mean no harm. He speaks with an English accent too...” Mikasa explained in an attempt to persuade him, but the short man was not convinced yet, “ _Please_ , Levi. I beg you let them stay, Eren is injured and must be taken care of.”

Levi, or that's what Armin assumed his name to be, spoke again, “Parlez-vous français? (Do you speak French?)” both of the teens could understand that much and shook their heads in unison. The short man sighed heavily, “My English is shit.” he spat, “I do not speak German, either.” he then stepped back reluctantly to allow them all access to the bunker.

“Merci beaucoup, Levi. (Thank you so much)” relief shone in Mikasa's eyes and a small smile crept onto her face. For some reason, Armin got the impression that the girl did not smile often, he wasn't sure why.

When they entered the bunker, Armin's eyes were unable to focus solely on anything in particular for the first few seconds because he was too overwhelmed by the place. However, he quickly started taking everything in and analysing his surroundings. There was some furniture, but it looked as if it had been once broken apart and then put back together again. Numerous items cluttered the small space, obviously all stolen. Bits and pieces looked like they were of value, for example the jewellery lying in an open box on a table and a silver pocket watch, but most of it looked like simple, ordinary things.

_They survive because they steal, that much is obvious...but just what kind of events unfolded that led to Levi and Mikasa meeting and hiding in a bunker underground in Munich?_

Armin's thoughts were suddenly derailed as Levi addressed him, “Oi, Boche...” the man sat down on an old wooden chair and crossed one leg over the other,

“...Me?” Armin questioned stupidly, the Frenchman was looking directly at him. Of course he was talking to him. However, Armin had little clue as to what 'Boche' meant or why Levi was calling him that.

“Oui.” Levi's eyes were penetrating. He looked at him as if he were dirt. The feeling was all too familiar—it was the same as the looks he received when he was back in England. Hatred. Disgust _._ “What is your story?” the man brought a teacup up to his pursed lips and took a sip. It took a moment for Armin to realise that Levi was drinking _his_ tea, which had been packed in his suitcase. The boy felt anger flurry inside of him, but was just too damn scared of the man to say anything.

_Though, if he's touched Annie's ring I don't think I will be able to remain calm regardless of the consequences..._

Before Armin could answer Levi, Mikasa interrupted.

“I will bring Eren to my room and tend to his injuries, he can get some rest.” she spoke quietly.

Levi gave a curt nod to the girl but before excusing them he added, “When you get back you will tell me what the hell happened.” Mikasa nodded, and swiftly left the room with the darker haired teen.

Much to Armin's dismay, he was left alone with the intimidating Frenchman. The blond had to muster all of his willpower to not run away. He was unable to look directly at Levi and he fidgeted with shaky hands. Before attempting to answer he had to swallow a lump that was caught in his throat,

“B-because of my grandfather's Jewish heritage, my family and I fled to England when I was ten years old. I came back to Germany because I made a promise to someone.” he kept it simple as he remembered what Levi had said about his English being poor.

“Ah, I do not really understand...but never mind.” Armin wasn't sure if Levi couldn't understand because of a language barrier, or because he simply couldn't comprehend why someone would want to return to Germany in the middle of a war. Either way, the Frenchman did not ask for any more information, instead he continued to sip at his tea, or rather, sip at _Armin's_ tea in silence while the blond just stood there awkwardly.

Eventually, Armin could no longer take it, “May I leave?” he asked.

“Oui...go.” Armin turned and began to walk off in the direction that Mikasa and Eren had gone just a few minutes ago, “Ah wait...” Levi stopped Armin dead in his tracks. “This is yours?” the dark haired man beckoned to the trunk under a small coffee table.

Armin's heart skipped a beat, “Y-yes.”

“Here.” The man closed the lid of the trunk and the blond made no hesitation to pick it up, “Bon thé. (Good tea)”

* * *

When Armin entered Mikasa's room, he worried that he was interrupting. However, the feeling soon disappeared as neither Eren nor Mikasa noticed his presence at first. The brunet sat on a bed with his back up against a stone wall, a woollen blanket covered his shoulders. A few bandages were already in place. Mikasa rested on her shins opposite him with a small metal basin containing water at her side. She was gently dabbing a wound on Eren's arm with a piece of cotton. For a moment, Armin just stood back and let Mikasa continue what she was doing. He watched her carefully and noticed how close they were and that their eyes were locked almost intensely.

“Um,” Armin cleared his throat after a few minutes of just standing there without being acknowledged. The couple were instantly torn away from their own little world and turned to Armin simultaneously, “Is everything okay?” he questioned, not really knowing what else to say.

“I'm feeling better...just a little shaken up. How are you?” Eren responded.

“Armin, are you injured anywhere? I saw the soldiers attack you as well when you tried to help.” Mikasa spoke up,

It was only when Mikasa drew attention to it that Armin could feel the full extent of where one of the soldier's had twisted his wrist. It was throbbing quite painfully. The feeling had only been a dull ache at the back of his mind up until now, what with everything that had happened. The blond boy looked down at it and saw that it was visibly swollen, though it was most likely not broken but probably sprained.

“Just my wrist.” he stated.

“I will help you in a minute, let me finish with Eren first.”

Armin nodded, “Okay, thank you Mikasa.” In the meantime, he set his trunk on the ground while Mikasa continued to tend to his friend's injuries. The blond opened it up to make sure that everything was still in place and partly to his surprise, everything except for the tea was. His heart fluttered when he opened the small container and found Annie's ring. He almost cried in relief.

“Oh thank God,” the boy murmured quietly and clutched it tightly. He placed the piece of jewellery in his pocket this time, not wanting to be parted from it ever again, at least, not until he could return it to Annie.

When Mikasa was done with Eren, she asked Armin to sit on the bed. The blond sat on the edge while Mikasa grabbed a wooden stool. She sat down in front of him and took hold of the boy's wrist. Her long fingers traced over the joint and she examined it thoroughly. It did not take long to for her to reach a conclusion, “Do not worry, it's not broken.” she announced, “I will put a bandage on it. Try not to move it too much.” Armin just nodded his head and watched as the girl wrapped a bandage around his wrist with caution.

“How does that feel?” she questioned when finished.

“Better, Danke schön (thank you very much), Mikasa.” Armin smiled for the first time in what seemed like ages.

“No need to thank me. After all, I only have you to thank for what you both did.” Mikasa's eyes flickered over to the darker haired boy again and his turquoise eyes met hers, “I think it is time that I explain myself...”

“You don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable,” Armin rushed out.

The black haired girl shook her head, “No, it is only fair that I tell you. Maybe it will put me in a better light if you understand why I did the things I did.” Mikasa looked again to Eren, her brows slightly furrowed.

“I'm all ears.” Eren said, inviting Mikasa to speak.

Mikasa sat upright and tried her best to maintain her calm composure, “I was born in the February of 1927, in Tokyo, Japan. My father was a German diplomat working there and that is how he met my mother. She was unfortunate and died giving birth to me,” the girl paused briefly and the boys waited patiently for her to continue, “After her death, my father moved back to Munich with me. He raised me with good knowledge of both the English and Japanese language. However, as Hitler became a more prominent figure in German politics my father started to despise him and his ideology. My father became an active member in the communist party in opposition to Hitler. But then, when I was eight years old my father was sent to a prison for his political views and was killed; those kinds of prisons are different in the sense that once you go in, you never come out. Anyway, as result, I was sent to an orphanage.”

Armin furrowed his brows, resentment towards the regime welled inside of him. He understood Mikasa, he could relate to her.

“When I was fifteen, I ran away from the orphanage,” Mikasa continued and watched as Eren balled his fists tighter and tighter until his knuckles were white, “I was often bullied there for my Asian appearance and name. I stood out like a sore thumb. I was different from the others.”

“That's awful...” Armin mumbled. Mikasa's face remained relatively stoic, although, Armin could tell that she was deeply affected by her past by the way her fingers fidgeted with the red scarf that was wrapped tightly around her neck.

“I spent a few weeks on the streets alone and I thought I would die. The war was on and I had no food or shelter...But then, Levi found me.”

“The short Frenchman?” Eren questioned and Mikasa nodded,

“Yes. He saw the state I was in and knew that I would die soon so he offered me a place to stay. He too, had nowhere but this bunker disguised as an old cellar. Levi was a prisoner of war who escaped and has been living in hiding ever since. I am ever so grateful for him, for taking me under his wing.”

“He saved you...” Armin said quietly. The boy quickly re-evaluated his initial opinion of the man. At first glance, Levi appeared extremely cold-hearted, but he wasn't really.

The Asian nodded again, “Of course, the only way we have been able to survive is to steal. I do not want to, but if I don't, we'll die. Levi taught me everything I know. He taught me how to defend myself.”

Eren looked into the girl's almond shaped eyes, “I understand. If I were in your position, I would do the same. Anyone would.”

“You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Mikasa said quietly, “but that brings me to ask, why are you here in Munich in the first place? You are not German...”

“I'm not German, but Armin is.” Eren answered and looked to his blond friend, Armin blinked. It was his turn.

“I am originally from the small town of Rothenburg ob Tauber. Because my Grandfather was Jewish, my family chose to leave Germany over being persecuted and we moved to England seven years ago. But, there is this girl...,” Armin felt himself blush lightly, “I was friends with her for many years beforehand, I've known her since I was five or six years old. I made a promise to her that I would one day return to Germany for her and so here I am. All I need to do now is find her...”

Mikasa's eyes portrayed her genuine surprise at Armin's objective, “Are you in love with her?” the blond became bashful and nodded his head, “Does she love you?” she questioned bluntly.

“I...think so.”

“That is very romantic.” Mikasa looked to Eren, “And Eren, what about you?”

“Armin is my best friend, I couldn't let him go to Germany all alone. Once he got this crazy idea into that mind of his, there was no stopping him. There was also a more personal reason though,” Eren looked down and the Asian girl remained silent, waiting expectantly for him to continue, “My mother was killed by those Nazi bastards and I want to become a soldier and kill as many of them as possible. I want to wipe that scum off the surface of the earth.” When finished, Eren trembled slightly. The boy always became riled up whenever he spoke of his mother.

Mikasa placed a gentle hand over his in an attempt to comfort him, “It appears that we all have something in common.” she said softly. Eren just stared at her. After he seemed to calm down again, Mikasa removed her hand from his and looked to Armin, “I want to help you both.” The girl's voice was firm and steady.

Armin's eyes widened a little, “R-really?”

The Asian girl looked him in the eye and nodded once in confirmation, “I want to help you find her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few things I want to say about this chapter. First of all, Levi is French because I planned this fanfiction a long time ago before his last name was revealed in the manga. I always had a headcanon that Levi was French and since it became quite a significant part of the story I couldn't really change it. Another thing, assume Mikasa is speaking mostly in French with Levi even though I've written her speaking English, I did this because I didn't want to put a bad translation since I am not fluent in the language and would be unable to translate accurately. I have put a few phrases in when Levi speaks to Mikasa or directly to Armin and Eren in French because that is what Armin hears and it is from his perspective.
> 
> 'Boche' is slightly offensive French slang for Germans, most likely the equivalent of the word 'kraut'.


	10. Chapter 10

**September, 1944**

_Once again Armin found himself in the all familiar field. Everything was the same, except for one thing. She was closer this time, much closer. He could almost see her face and he wasn't sure what was more infuriating..._

“ _Annie.” Armin's voice was unintentionally quiet as he called out her name._

_Much to the boy's surprise the woman's head shot up and she looked him directly in the eye. The dream had taken a very different turn and his heart hammered in his chest. The woman had her eyes and her distinctive nose—she was without a doubt Annie Leonhart. However, she stood with an icy expression on her face that sent a chill running down Armin's spine._

_He repeated her name, but this time no sound came out. He tried again and again but she obviously wasn't able to hear him. Her expression did not change, but then she spoke,_

“ _Wer bist du? (Who are you?)”_

“ _Do you...not...remember?” he choked out,_

_She shook her head and Armin felt stabbed by despair._

_As she turned her back on him, everything seemed to fade away..._

* * *

Armin's eyes shot open, he was panting and quite heavily so. The boy was covered by a thick layer of sweat, causing his bangs to stick to the top of his forehead. For a split second, he had no idea where he was and he panicked. The room was dark but he was able to see a faint light glowing in the distance. When he heard quiet whispers coming from both a male and female, he quickly recognised the voices belonging to Eren and Mikasa.

“Ah…” he mumbled to himself and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, the panic slowly started to fade away.

 _For a moment there, I forgot everything._ _Such an unsettling feeling...I don't know what was more unsettling though, waking up feeling so lost or that horrible dream..._

As the memories of the events that had occurred the previous evening, up until the last memory of lying down and closing his eyes all fell back into place, Armin let out a heavy sigh. It sounded as if Eren and Mikasa were still awake, but Armin was unsure of what the time was. For all he knew, it could already be morning. It was impossible to tell as there was no natural light inside the bunker. The blond came to the conclusion that after the dream he had just had, he wouldn't be sleeping again for some time. He stood up from where he was lying on the ground and walked over towards the source of light; on the way, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a mirror that was hanging lopsidedly on the wall. He almost jumped at the sight that he saw. He had two black eyes and bruising around his nose, obviously from where he was punched in the face by the SS soldier. Needless to say, he looked a mess. The teen didn't feel much better than he looked, either.

As Armin got closer to where the light was coming from, Eren and Mikasa's voices became louder,

“ _What happened to your father?”_ Armin overheard Mikasa ask.

“ _I haven't seen or heard from him in years. Not since he was sent away to serve as a doctor in the war. I can only imagine he was killed out there.”_ Eren responded,

“ _After your mother's death, you must have been very lonely...”_

“ _No, not exactly, I've always had Armin.”_

“ _I suppose in the same way I have had Levi by my side.”_

“ _You could say that.”_

Armin entered where Mikasa and Eren sat together at a small wooden table, a small candle was positioned in the middle of the table, slowly burning and giving the dark bunker a warm glow. “Sorry...” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, “I couldn't sleep.” He joined them at the table, pulling up a chair and sitting down.

“Are you feeling alright, Armin?” Mikasa questioned, feeling concerned for the boy.

Armin simply nodded his head, not wanting to create a fuss over how awful he really felt, “Does anyone have the time?” he decided to ask.

“It's past four in the morning.” Mikasa replied casually.

“Have neither of you had _any_ sleep?” the blond raised his brows, Eren and Mikasa shook their heads and glanced at each other,

“No...We didn't feel all that tired. So we've just been talking...” Eren answered, “Although, we should probably try to get a little shut eye.” The darker haired teen definitely looked like he needed sleep. He didn't look much better than Armin, a bandage wrapped around his head, with a black eye and purple bruises formed all over his face as well.

“Yes.” Mikasa added, “Later I will speak to Levi about your plans, and that I want to help.”

“Do you think Levi will be able to help us too?” Armin enquired.

“Maybe,” Mikasa looked down to her lap, “But I am not so sure.”

“Oh, why is that?” the blond furrowed his brows.

The girl looked back up to him again, “Eren told me about the liberation of Paris after I questioned how it was even possible for you both to travel across France to get here. Levi had no idea...”

“W-what?” Armin blinked in disbelief.

“You have to remember, Levi has been hiding in this bunker since 1941. We've both had little access to any official media sources. The wireless does not work under here, and even though I have been able to get hold of newspapers, I do not recall there ever being a report on the liberation of Paris. As far as I knew, the Nazis were winning this war, but maybe that isn't so. They are clearly hiding this information from the public so that morale doesn't falter...”

“Of course, that makes a lot of sense.” Armin figured. He knew for a fact that Britain did the same thing, often covering up how bad causalities really were.

“I cannot wait to give Levi the good news, he can finally return to his homeland.” Just then, something flickered in Mikasa's eyes and from what Armin could detect, it was sadness.

“Mikasa...are you sure you want to come with us? I mean, even if Levi wishes to return to France?” Eren questioned the girl.

Mikasa locked eyes with the brunet, “Yes Eren, I'm sure. As much as I love Levi as if he were my own father, I still want to leave this bunker. Who even knows how long this war will go on for? Not only that, no offence to you both but I find it hard seeing you surviving by yourselves out there and after what you both did for me, and hearing your stories, I can't leave you to fend for yourselves...”

“ _Hey_ ,” Eren interrupted, turning to the girl with a look of absurdity plastered across his face, “I think we are perfectly capable!”

“Eren, I quite easily managed to rob Armin. How do you think you would both fair against a group of soldiers?” Mikasa deadpanned,

“I faired quite well against three SS soldiers, thank you very much. I have blood on my hands!”

“I know. I have not forgotten...I'm sorry. But please, imagine if you had been travelling for several more days with little food or drink. You would be considerably weaker. I'm not trying to offend you. I'm only expressing my concerns for your wellbeing...”

“I understand where Mikasa is coming from, Eren. She's right. We need help...”

“I know, I know.” Eren mumbled quietly. Despite his attitude, Armin was convinced that his friend had nothing against Mikasa coming along. In fact, he was almost certain he really wanted her to.

“Thank you, Mikasa.” Armin spoke for them both, because although their first impressions were not the best, meeting the Asian girl had worked out well for them all. It seemed like for once, fate had been kind to them. He only wondered now how the stoic Frenchman would react to the situation. From what Mikasa had said, it seemed as if they were very close, which was only natural. Would he allow Mikasa to help two strangers?

“Mon Dieu! Why the hell are you brats still awake!? Shut up!” As if on cue, Levi's irritated voice echoed throughout the bunker from where he resided in his own bed, obviously annoyed by the noise. All three of them jumped at the sudden outburst and Armin concluded that Levi must be a very light sleeper because even Eren was keeping his voice down low.

“We should probably go to sleep.” Mikasa whispered and stood from the table.

Eren nodded his head. It looked like his injuries, coupled with the fact that he hadn't had a decent night's sleep since they started this journey was finally taking its toll on the boy.

The two teens left the room and Armin stayed behind for a moment. He pondered on staying awake for a couple more hours, but knew that it was not a clever idea. After five or so minutes, the blond begrudgingly went back to the pile of blankets on the floor and curled up into himself.

Eventually, after lying awake just staring into darkness for what seemed like hours, Armin slipped into the land of sleep.

* * *

Breakfast included a piece of bread and a cup of tea, Armin was surprised there was any left after Levi had been drinking it last night. It was probably a true luxury to the man, considering he'd been living in this bunker for the past three or so years. Eren was surprisingly quiet at the table, and the blond didn't feel like speaking much, either. Instead he slowly chewed on his bread.

It was a while before the Frenchman entered the room. Mikasa looked up at him and then down at the table again, purposely holding back from speaking about anything until he was seated. The man pulled up a stool and sat in between Eren and Mikasa, crossing one leg over the other and resting an arm against the table. The Frenchman looked pale and tired, but his clothes were surprisingly pristine, noticeably the pure white cravat that he wore. Armin thought it strange that his clothes were so clean in comparison to Mikasa's skirt, shirt and cardigan.

_Come to think of it, the whole bunker looks very clean. Not something I would have expected of the place, especially since the area outside is so derelict._

“Bonjour.” Levi announced and Mikasa handed him a piece of bread, “Merci, Mikasa.”

Out of politeness, both Armin and Eren repeated the French phrase, only to have “You two look like shit,” thrown back in their faces. It was mostly true though—they were covered in bruises and looked exhausted. There was silence for a couple of moments and Armin's eyes fixed on the Asian girl, waiting for her to tell Levi everything.

The man had already been informed of how Mikasa had met the two, after practically demanding an explanation shortly after Mikasa fixed up Armin's wounds last night. He lacked emotion and expression over the matter and the only thing he did in response was lightly scold Mikasa for falling into the hands of the SS soldiers in the first place. Armin thought of that as unfair, but he did not voice his opinion. Eren on the other hand did and shouted at the man saying that he should be grateful that Armin and he was there at the time to help. Needless to say, the rude Frenchman told him to shut up or leave.

Armin continued to watch Mikasa's body language. It seemed as if she was searching for the right way to put it. After a few more minutes of silence, she spoke up,

“Levi,” the Asian poured some tea into his cup, “I have some important news.”

“What is it?” he looked to her and then to Eren and Armin. His blue eyes portrayed little emotion other than mild curiosity. The man thanked Mikasa again and then took a sip from the cup of tea.

“Paris has been liberated.”

Levi slowly placed the cup back down and for the briefest of moments, pure shock and surprise flashed across his face. He was clearly stumped. However, the Frenchman was quick to compose himself, “Quoi? (What)” he questioned sceptically. His eyes wandered over to Eren and Armin again, guessing that they both held the answers.

“It's true,” Armin spoke, “On the 25th of August this year, the Germans surrendered to the Allies and Paris was liberated. Since then, the Allies have been working on liberating the rest of the country. Last that I heard, it was going quite well. Obviously it's not over yet and there is still a lot of fighting going on but nevertheless, it was a victory, and that victory opened a door for Eren and me. Without it, we would never have made it here.”

“I still can't believe it.”

“Levi you can finally go home...” a small smile graced Mikasa's lips and at that moment it must have sunk in, because the man's cold blue eyes seemed to come to life.

“...It's been a long time. Too long.” Levi was about to stand, he needed to walk around, or at least do _something_. The news had been so unexpected and the man was having a hard time concealing the emotions he was suddenly overwhelmed by. He was after all, a man who rarely showed any emotion.

“Can you tell us about yourself? Mikasa said you have been a prisoner of war.” Eren questioned before Levi had the chance to leave the table.

“Ah,” Levi sighed, “I'm going to need a cigarette for that.” He looked expectantly at the brunet. Eren's eyes widened a little and he slipped his hand into the pocket of his jacket that was resting on the back of the chair,

“Sure.” The teen slid the pack across the table, along with a box of matches.

“I knew you brats would have some. Merci.” Everyone watched silently as Levi lit up a cigarette, he took a puff before speaking again, “So you want to know how I ended up here?”

Eren nodded his head, Armin was also curious. Mikasa had obviously heard the tale before. The room quickly filled with smoke from the cigarette, and the blond started to cough as he waited for the Frenchman to speak.

“I was born in Paris on Christmas day. My parents didn't like the present very much and I ended up spending all my childhood in an orphanage. At the outbreak of the war I was twenty one years old and quick to become a soldier and join La Résistance française (The French resistance). I wanted more than anything to keep those shitty German bastards out of France. It failed miserably.”

“How did you end up getting captured?” Eren was almost on the edge of his seat, clearly very interested by Levi's story.

The Frenchman took another puff of his cigarette, “If you will shut up and listen, I'll get to that part.”

“Sorry.” Eren muttered almost inaudibly.

“Four years ago, France fell into German hands,” bitterness was present in Levi's tone and he paused briefly to draw more smoke into his lungs, “I must have killed at least fifty of those Nazi bastards with my own hands. When I reached a small town in the East of France I met a young woman who became a better soldier than a lot of men I knew. Her name was Petra, the name is Greek and means 'rock'. That basically summed her up. She wasn't even in the army, but decided to join up with me against her father's will and fight for her country. I made a promise to her father that I would keep her safe and that she would return one day. I broke my promise.”

“W-what happened?” Armin swallowed a lump in his throat.

“She was killed and I was captured on the French border and sent away to a prisoner of war camp. God only knows why they didn't just kill me then and there. I would have preferred them to have put a bullet through my head.”

There was a stunned silence for a moment while Levi stubbed out the cigarette and grinded it into one of the china plates on the table, “I wasn't there long, thank God. It was filthy and disgusting. No hygiene with people pissing and shitting all over the place. I dug my way out, thankful for my slim build and short height. By 1941, I found myself in Munich and this bunker became my home.”

“War is evil.” Mikasa said quietly, her eyes downcast.

“It is true that war turns people into animals, but those shitheads are something else.” Levi said and Armin nodded his head in agreement, “How old are you two brats anyways?” he suddenly questioned.

“I am seventeen, but I will turn eighteen this November.” Armin answered.

“Seventeen, I won't be eighteen until March next year.” Eren replied.

“Kids.”

“I'm also seventeen,” Mikasa looked to Levi and sighed, “I am not a child, I am a woman.”

“You are all too young to be going through this kind of shit.” was Levi's response, “I am going to take a breath of fresh air, I need out of this bunker. I might be able to pick something up, too. I will be back later.”

The Frenchman stood from his seat before anyone could say anything more and left the room. He obviously needed to clear his head after hearing about Paris' liberation and retelling what he had gone through. As soon as Levi left the bunker, Mikasa ensured that the trapdoor was locked.

When the Asian returned to her seat, Eren addressed her, “When are you going to tell Levi about your plans to help us?”

“Later.”

* * *

The day passed by relatively slowly and the boys just decided to rest and recuperate. Armin was sure that Eren was still in shock over what happened the night before last. For Eren, there was a feeling of satisfaction, as the boy had wanted to kill Nazis ever since his mother had been killed by German bombers, but at the same time it left him with a heavy feeling that hung over him—a natural burden and questioning of morals that every man who had killed in this war faced.

During the afternoon, Armin went through with Mikasa all of the details of his plan to get back to Rothenburg. Mikasa offered her advice and started her own preparations for going with them. Levi returned in the early evening and they all huddled around the small table once again to eat more bread but this time with soup. Mikasa knew that she had to inform Levi of her plans, after all there was little time to waste. Armin wanted to reach his hometown as soon as possible. However the girl was hesitant, knowing that she would probably have to separate from the man who had saved her. The man she had spent the last two years under the same roof and for that reason, she decided to wait until both Armin and Eren went to sleep that night to talk to Levi alone.

“What is it you want to talk about?” he asked her. Their eyes locked for a moment but then the Asian averted her gaze away from his,

“I wish to help Eren and Armin with their plan.” she spoke quickly, as if trying to get it over with as fast as possible.

“I thought you might.”

“What?” Mikasa looked back up at Levi, confusion etched onto her face. She was obviously not expecting that response from the man.

“Let's put it this way, you have never in the two years I have known you dared to bring someone back to this bunker.” Mikasa blinked, “And you've had that scarf wrapped around your neck for the past two days straight.”

“It's just that...they saved me. I owe them a favour.” her voice couldn't be quieter.

“You don't owe them anything, Mikasa. They only did what any decent man would do. I know you like that Eren kid, I see it in your eyes.”

“No,” her cheeks flushed red giving her away, “...I was touched by Armin's desire to see the one he loves again, and, they really do not have much chance out there on their own.”

“Well, you're not wrong about that.” There was a long pause and Mikasa shuffled slightly, “Do you want my permission?” he questioned her, wondering why she was acting so bizarre over it.

“Not really, I just...wanted you to know...” Mikasa lied. A part of her _was_ asking for Levi's permission, at the end of the day, she really did look at the man as a father figure despite the fact that he was not all that much older than her.

“You seem uncomfortable. I want to make it clear that I want you to leave this damn bunker more than I want myself to. You're young, you need to live your life, and living here is no life.” Mikasa simply nodded, caught for words. “I will be leaving this shithole too, knowing that I can return to Paris.”

“When will you go?”

“Soon, and what about you?”

“Most likely tomorrow.”

Silence lingered once more but Mikasa felt as if there was so much more to be said. Their time together had come to an end and the Asian did not think it would be possible for them to ever see each other again. It was a bittersweet feeling for her knowing that Paris was free again and Levi could go home.

“Levi,” she spoke up again, “It will be a goodbye for us.” Mikasa was having a hard time controlling her emotions but managed to refrain from letting it show too much.

“Oui, but think of it as a good thing. We both escape this hell.” Mikasa slowly nodded, knowing that it was true what Levi said but wondering if he felt bittersweet too, “Now go and get some sleep. If you are leaving tomorrow you will need the rest.”

“Yes, you're right. Goodnight, Levi.”

“Bonne nuit.”

* * *

The following morning, the boys were all set to leave. Mikasa packed away the very few belongings she owned into her own case. She sat in silence during breakfast, afraid to talk in case the strong emotions she felt overflowed in the form of tears. She did not want to cry, she was happy. Happy that she could leave the bunker, happy that she found two boys she could assist on their journey. Happy that Levi was finally able to get out of here as well.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to come with us?” Armin questioned her, the blond worried she was having second thoughts about the whole thing. After all, the road ahead was going to be tough.

“Yes, I'm sure.” A tiny smile found its way to her face, but it did not meet her eyes.

Levi barely said a word as he sat and sipped away at what was left of Armin's tea. When they all finished, Armin gathered his trunk and returned to Levi to bid farewell to the man and also thank him.

“I do not really know how to express my gratitude for allowing us to stay here, Levi.” The blond shook the Frenchman's hand, “But we must be on our way now.”

Levi gave Armin a curt nod, “You brats be careful.” His eyes flickered to Eren as well.

“We will.” Eren said and looked to Mikasa, who was standing away at the side. The red scarf was covering most of the lower half of her face. Armin's eyes wandered to the Asian as well, waiting for her to say something.

Feeling all eyes on her, she set her trunk down and walked towards Levi. “Thank you,” she uttered quietly, “Thank you for everything.” The girl tried so hard not to cry, but she was unable to control the steady stream of tears that flowed down her cheeks.

“Don't cry.” Levi stepped closer.

Mikasa attempted to wipe away the tears, but it was to no avail, “This is our farewell.” she sniffed and felt like nestling into the scarf even more, because she knew she would never see him again. Much to her own surprise, the Frenchman placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer.

“You will be fine, Mikasa.” Levi embraced her in a very brief hug and then pulled back,

Mikasa nodded her head and tried to compose herself before addressing Levi again, “I will never forget you. I'll never forget your kindness and what you did for me.”

The man closed his eyes for a brief moment, “Take good care of yourself, will you?”

“Do not worry, I will.”

“And try to make sure these idiots don't get killed.” The man said and Mikasa could only interpret it as Levi's attempt at a joke. His humour had always been either very bad or dark.

She smiled a little and wiped the remaining tears from her face, “I will do my best. You taught me well, so I am sure we will all be fine.”

“That's what I wanted to hear.” Unexpectedly, the tiniest of smiles found its way to the usually stoic man's face.

“Goodbye and good luck, Levi.”

“Adieu, Mikasa.”

As the trio left the bunker, Armin could not help but feel Mikasa's pain. Farewells were never pleasant—he knew that all too well. However, she appeared to be keeping herself together, which the boy was glad for. Now that they were back on the streets, they all had to be on guard.

Armin's heart thudded excitedly inside the confines of his chest. He was now a step closer to being reunited with Annie, and with Mikasa by their side, it seemed more likely now than it ever had before.


	11. Chapter 11

**September, 1944**

Walking the streets of Munich was a little more than eye-opening. Armin was almost sick when the trio came across a man hanging from a lamppost with a sign strung around his neck. Apparently it was a common sight, judging by Mikasa's reaction. The Asian girl kept her head down and was rather unperturbed. Or maybe it was inaccurate to say she was unperturbed, because it was highly probable that she was just trying to pretend like she had not seen it. Eren stared in disgust and was unable to let it go, even as they kept on walking away from the horrific scene.

“That's barbaric…! Mikasa, did you see that?” the wide-eyed male went on and on. Mikasa and Armin remained silent, “What did that sign around his neck say!?”

Armin was too stunned to speak a word, fearing that if he attempted to open his mouth, vomit would spill out of it. He knew that the image of that poor man who was murdered and then left to rot publically would stay with him forever.

“It read: 'Jew lover'.” Mikasa answered faintly, while her eyes remained fixed on the ground.

Of course Armin could read and understand what the sign had said. For some reason, those words shook him and made him question what would have been his fate if his family had not left Germany all those years ago. Would he have suffered the same end and been hung? Probably something far worse would have happened. After all, he didn't just associate with Jews. He had Jewish blood, and that was by far more of a crime.

“That's…inhumane…” Eren kept turning his head back, as if he were almost in disbelief, “I can't believe they would do something so horrible to their _own_ people!”

Mikasa looked to Armin out of the corner of her eye and sensing that he was clearly distressed, especially since his face was a much paler complexion than usual, she spoke up, “ _Eren._ ” The boy turned to her and she did not even have to say another word for the message to be understood. Eren remained relatively quiet after that and none of them really spoke again until they arrived at the train station.

“Unfortunately, there has been damage to some of the train tracks.” Mikasa announced as her eyes finished scanning over the text on a sign that had been put up.

“I feared this would happen at some point,” Armin spoke quietly, “It would have been a miracle if all of the train lines had remained intact after all of the bombings over the years.”

“Yes and with most of the men away at war, there is not many people left to rebuild them.”

“What are we going to do then?” Eren questioned.

“Hmm,” Armin pulled out the map from his trunk and furrowed his brows, “Mikasa, it is not possible to reach Nürnberg from here is it?”

The Asian shook her head, “I do not think so. I remember reading in one of the newspapers recently that Nürnberg suffered some casualties. We are best of travelling to and from the smaller towns and avoid bigger cities. Smaller towns have not been affected.”

“Okay, in that case…” the blond looked back down to his map again, “We get the train from here to Eichstӓtt and then from there we go to Ansbach. Ansbach is only thirty-so kilometres away from my hometown. It should not be a big problem for us to get the train from there.” Armin looked back up to face Eren and Mikasa,

“We will avoid running into trouble that way, good idea Armin.” Mikasa nodded.

“It seems like it is going to be a very long trek, though. I tell you Armin, this Annie Leonhart had better be worth it!” Eren gave his friend a slight nudge in his side. The blond only sighed and nodded his head,

“She is.”

* * *

A good portion of the day had been lost to waiting around for trains to turn up, but the trio were finally settled on yet another train, heading towards the German town of Ansbach. To Armin, the whole situation was truly becoming very surreal. In a matter of hours, he could be face-to-face with the girl he had not seen for seven years. The thought alone made his heart rate spike and nervous butterflies fluttered inside of his stomach. He also had to prepare himself for the worst case scenario, but he didn't want to dwell on it too much. Thankfully, his mind was kept occupied during the long and strenuous train journey as the boys both got to know Mikasa Ackerman a little better, and vice-versa. Of course the trio had to keep a low profile and also were unable to speak very loudly in fear of being caught out for speaking a foreign language.

“I am curious, do you have a photograph of her?” Mikasa questioned the blond boy quietly.

“Unfortunately I do not…” he replied sadly, he had always thought it was a shame that he did not have a picture of the girl.

“Are you sure you will recognise her? I do not wish to sound rude, but considering that all these years have passed…”

“I'm positive I'll recognise her, I could never forget her face. You see she has very distinctive features.”

“What does she look like?” The Asian girl seemed very interested and obviously wanted to form a mental image of the girl she was about to meet.

“She is uniquely beautiful, with a very pale complexion and golden hair. Her eyes are sky blue. She was so fair…fairer than me.”

“I picture her as a perfect Aryan girl.” Mikasa stated, “From the way you describe her, she does sound very beautiful.”

“I am not really into blondes myself,” Eren's eyes flickered to Mikasa and the tiniest of smirks appeared on Armin's face. He had a feeling Eren liked Mikasa, in fact he would bet his life on it. And if he was not mistaken, he was certain Mikasa liked Eren, too.

Ignoring Eren's comment, but bringing a hand to her own hair and placing a strand behind her ear, Mikasa asked, “Do you think she will recognise you?”

“I…I don't think I've changed all _that_ much. I'm sure she will know who I am when she sees me.”

“I am sure she will be shocked to see you, especially what with the circumstances. I am very interested to meet her and to see how she will react.”

“To be honest, I'm already feeling anxious at the prospect of meeting her again.” Armin admitted,

“She probably won't be able to keep her hands off of you.” Eren gave Armin a pat on the back and the boy's face flushed red.

“How did you meet Fraulein Leonhart? I remember you telling me you were childhood friends, but that was all.” Mikasa suddenly asked,

“Come to think of it, I've never heard the tale either.” Eren added and looked to his blond friend.

At that moment, it was as if Armin was sent back in time as he recalled the very first time he ever saw Annie Leonhart…

_**June, 1932** _

_Armin was certain he was being watched. He could feel eyes on him and he had heard the rustling of a nearby bush, even though there hadn't been a breeze. The young child's large blue eyes scanned the area twice over, but there was nothing strange about the field, the flowers or the trees and so he continued to lie on his stomach with his chin resting in the palm of his hand while he read one of his favourite books. He giggled once he reached his favourite part of the book, but stopped when he heard the harsh sound of a twig snapping underneath someone's foot. This time, the little boy's eyes shot up quick enough to come face to face with a young girl, who looked around the same age as himself half-hiding behind the trunk of a tree._

_The little girl froze and her porcelain cheeks flushed pink. Armin only blinked and she rolled her eyes at the realisation that her game was up—she had been caught. The boy quickly sat up from his position on the grass, but never stopped looking at the blonde who now stood in front of a tree just a metre or so away from him. He was positive that he had never seen her around before, which was strange considering he lived in a rural part of town and it was already a smallish town to begin with. Armin was quick to take in all of her features and soon reached the conclusion that she was far prettier than the illustrations of the princesses in his books. Although, the girl's nose was prominent on her oval like face and Armin was absolutely certain she would have been teased by the other boys and girls at school because of it, but he would never do such a thing. Her pale blue dress almost resembled something out of a book Armin had read recently, 'Alice in Wonderland', and after making the comparison, he could not help but think that the girl belonged in some kind of fairy-tale._

“ _H-hello, my name is Armin. What's yours?” the boy introduced shyly as he brushed himself off._

“ _Annie.” her voice was tentative and quiet._

“ _Why was you watching me?” when Annie had nothing to say for herself, Armin smiled and let out a chuckle, “Why haven't I seen you around before?”_

“ _My Papa doesn't let me go outside.” Annie looked down at her feet and Armin suddenly felt overwhelmingly sad for her._

“ _What about your mama?”_

“ _I don't have a mama.”_

“ _Oh…” there was a long pause as Armin tried to read Annie's face, he didn't want her to feel upset so he asked, “Do you want to play?” and at Armin's request, the young girl's dull eyes lit up and she nodded._

“ _Can you teach me?” she asked as she walked beside Armin, “I've never played any games before.”_

“ _Don't you get lonely?” Armin looked to her in bewilderment._

“ _I have my Papa.” was Annie's response._

“ _Won't your papa be angry because you're outside?”_

“ _Not if he doesn't find out!” the little girl's eyes shone mischievously, “Armin, aren't you going to teach me how to play a game?” she looked at him expectantly and the boy's face formed into a huge grin._

“…and we spent almost every day after that day together. We never stopped seeing each other, not even after her father forbade us. “

“It is so sad that you had to part,” Mikasa said, “I can understand why you want to meet with her again so desperately.”

“It was very painful. But here I am, ready to be reunited with her once again.”

“What is the plan after we meet Annie?” the Asian enquired. To her, the picture was still rather hazy and unclear.

“I plan to get back into Switzerland and stay there until the war is over.” was Armin's response.

“Tell me, when do you think the war will end? It seems like it is a whole different story from your viewpoint. Here, everyone is led to believe that the Germans are winning.”

“It's hard to say. All I know for sure is that the Germans are being pushed out of France. It could go on for another few years, but I have this feeling it will come to an end sooner than that.”

“I see, I suppose we can only hope for the best.”

“I wanted to fight in this war before it came to an end.” Eren mumbled quietly, not looking up at either Armin or Mikasa. A silence fell upon the trio for a few minutes, Armin really didn't feel like going over this again and so he remained quiet.

“Eren,” Mikasa spoke up after several moments, “I know you want to fight because of your mother. I understand that feeling very well, because as you know, my father too was killed by the evils of this regime. More times than I can count I've felt like getting my own revenge, Levi as well wanted his revenge for what happened to Petra. But your life is very valuable. It is very valuable and also very fragile…as humans, we are all weak. It is so easy to kill and be killed in this war. It is also so very easy to be consumed by darkness, and in these dark times, I think the real challenge is to not succumb to it, and find the light instead…at least, that is what I have tried to do over the years. This world…is very cruel, but can also be very beautiful…”

“What are you saying?” the brunet looked up to face the girl who sat opposite him, clearly perplexed by what she had said.

“Your life is worth too much to throw away in this war. I know you feel like it is your duty to become a soldier, but I think your mother would much rather you live to be an old man rather than die on the battlefield.”

For once in his life, Eren did not say a word. Armin was dumbfounded by his friend's silence, but maybe for just once, Eren had decided to listen.

Moments later, a ticket inspector approached the three teens and asked to see both their tickets and identification. Armin's heart skipped a beat as he rummaged through his case for the official documents that he had forged, “ _Arlert, Armin, date of birth 3_ _rd_ _November 1926, Rothenburg ob Tauber_ ”, the man then turned to the darker haired male, “ _J_ _ӓ_ _ger, Eren, date of birth 30_ _th_ _March 1927, Rothenburg ob Tauber…_ ” he nodded at the two and looked to the Asian girl, “ _Ackerman, Mikasa, date of birth 10_ _th_ _February 1927, Tokyo_ ”. The man seemed to give Mikasa a much more thorough inspection, most likely because of her Eastern appearance, which Armin found somewhat ironic. Not to mention that the Japanese were not an enemy of the German people, but were in fact one of their closest allies in this war. Fortunately for Armin, he barely got a look over and nor did Eren really. Once the ticket officer was satisfied with all three, he moved onto the next carriage, leaving Mikasa scowling as she snuggled into the scarf around her neck. It seemed to be becoming a habit of hers to do so whenever she felt uncomfortable or emotionally distressed. Armin only let out a breath of relief in the end, thankful that he had managed to get away with it. Who knows what he would have done if the inspector had found something to be wrong with the identification.

It must have taken all day long, but by late evening the trio had met their destination of Ansbach. Although Armin was itching to get to his hometown, all three agreed that they would spend the night in Ansbach and head to Rothenburg in the morning. It had been an exhaustingly long day, and everybody needed some rest. The trio were lucky to find an inn to stay the night. Eren was to keep an extremely low profile as it was vital that he pretended to be a German, otherwise he could risk getting himself shot, along with Armin and Mikasa. The boy was not very happy to say the least when the innkeeper, who was an elderly woman, questioned why the brunet was so silent and Armin quickly explained that he was mute. Of course Armin hadn't wanted to say anything, but he was left with very few options. After supper, they all resided in the rooms provided. The room was box-like, but Armin was just thankful that he could sleep in a proper bed rather than on the seat of a train or even worse, the cold hard ground.

Despite being extremely tired, the boy found it difficult to fall asleep. The day's events weighed down on him, suffocating him. It was as if the image of the man hanging from the lamppost was imprinted on his brain. He had been so deeply affected by it, and he found it odd because he had witnessed the brutal murders of three men by his best friend just a few days prior and although he had had nightmares about that too, it did not play on his mind even remotely as much. Eventually though, his heavy eyelids succumbed to sleep.

* * *

The trio ate breakfast shortly after the break of dawn and then they were already off again. It was not long at all before they reached the train station and were waiting for the train that would take them to Rothenburg ob Tauber.

“I'm so nervous,” Armin felt like being sick. He was so close and he suddenly felt so unprepared, “W-what if she does not recognise me after all? What if she found someone else? What if—”

“No more 'what ifs',” Eren cut him off, “God knows how we managed it, but we've somehow got this far. Don't you see that as a sign, Armin? It seems like fate is on your side…it is your fate to meet with her again.” the brunet placed a comforting hand on the shorter teen's shoulder and Armin couldn't help but feel warmed by Eren's unexpected words.

“Yes but you said so yourself, she _could_ have died…or….”

“The train is approaching.” Mikasa stated as the huge hunk of metal trudged along the track towards them, “Try not to worry, Armin. We cannot avoid our fate, so there is little point in worrying over it.”

“And if it all goes wrong at the very least you will always have us, of course, that is if Mikasa wants to stick around.”

The Asian girl nodded quickly, “Eren is right, we will support you always.”

Both Eren and Mikasa's words brought a tear to Armin's eye and he smiled at them both, “Thank you.”

As the blond boarded the train he looked up and released a breath he'd been holding, _this is it_ , he thought to himself. _I'm almost home._ Armin's stomach flipped over as a whistle was blown and the engines roared, seconds later the train was on the move. Time passed by frustratingly slowly. Armin was restless and fidgety throughout the journey, often standing up and pacing up and down the aisles of the carriage. On his fifth attempt at getting up, Mikasa grabbed hold of his arm and sat him back down,

“Calm down.” her grey eyes expressed her concern and he felt comforted just by looking into them. Mikasa was always so poised, the young woman had an air of serenity despite all she had been through in her short life. Her voice alone was enough to keep Armin in his seat and he couldn't help but think of her as somewhat motherly.

“I'm s-sorry.” he stuttered, realising that his anxious behaviour was probably irritating.

“You do not have to be sorry, just try and relax.”

Armin simply nodded and turned his head to look out of the window in an attempt to distract himself. The view of the passing landscape was beyond beautiful, fields that reminded him so much of the field by his house that he used to play in during the summers of his childhood. The train ride was only little over an hour, but it felt considerably longer. The blond was left glued to his seat while all of the other passengers filtered out of the vehicle.

“Come on, Armin! What are you waiting for?” Eren gave his friend a smile as he stood beside Mikasa.

The teen looked up at his friends and stood from his seat slowly, his legs almost shook as he stepped out of the train.

“…Ich bin daheim. (I'm home)” Armin whispered, “It feels like it's been forever…” the boy inhaled the air into his lungs and recognised the scent. It was far different to the smell of larger cities and it took him back in time.

“It doesn't appear like the town has been affected by bombings.” Eren observed,

“It wouldn't have. Most of the smaller towns were not targeted.” Mikasa explained.

“So Armin, are you ready to lead the way?” Eren asked, Armin nodded,

“If I remember the way,” the teen let out a false laugh and Eren frowned,

“You've navigated us across four countries and we've made it to Rothenburg, you can't be serious Armin. Have some faith in yourself, you're brilliant.”

The blond blinked, it was true. He had somehow achieved what many would have thought was impossible, considering Europe had been so torn apart by the war. It was Eren who made him realise that what he had done was incredibly impressive.

“Of course I know the way.” Armin nodded, suddenly feeling a surge of confidence.

With every step he took, Armin's legs felt weaker and weaker. His heart was thumping as he got closer to the village he was born in. In spite of everything that had occurred in the past seven years, little had changed at all. The medieval town looked exactly the same as the day he left, with the exception of red flags with the Nazi emblem flying over some of the houses. The streets and shops were all familiar and a strong wave of nostalgia washed over the boy. Memories of his parents and grandfather hit him hard and he felt a pang of sadness, missing them and wishing they were all still around. It was safe to say he was feeling a mixture of emotions.

It took around twenty minutes to walk from the station to Armin's village and when they finally arrived, the boy found himself speechless. His mouth wouldn't work as he stared in awe at the old field and houses he remembered so vividly. So many memories he had forgotten resurfaced and he was unable to describe exactly how he felt.

_I can't believe how little has changed…I can't believe I am really here…_

“Are we here?” Eren asked, snapping Armin away from his thoughts and bringing him back to reality.

“Y-yes,” Armin nodded, “I was born here.”

Armin began to walk off down a cobbled path while Eren and Mikasa followed behind. The boy's feet knew exactly where they were heading, while his brain had not quite caught up with them. After twisting and turning around several corners, the blond finally came to a stop. The trio found themselves standing in front of a very small, modest medieval style house. The windows had pretty wooden shutters and pots of flowers adorned the ledge.

“This…this was once my house,” Armin explained quietly, “I wish I could go inside.” He felt melancholic, staring up at the building that held so many happy memories of the times with his family, “Unfortunately, all I can do now is look at it from the outside.” Neither Eren nor Mikasa spoke, allowing their friend to have a moment. They understood how emotional this was for him. After a couple of minutes, the blond walked away and they followed after him.

Armin's heart was racing again. He knew exactly where he was heading next. The field he had spent his summers playing in, the field where he met _her_. As he approached the vast amount of grass he took in a sharp breath, half hoping she would be there waiting for him. But that was a stupid thought that he quickly dismissed. A cool breeze ruffled his blond locks and the grass and flowers swayed gently. It was exactly like in his dreams, except she wasn't there. The boy let out a sigh and walked over to the tree he often used to sit under. He sat down, placing his head into his hands and running them through his hair. Eren and Mikasa looked to each other and then sat down on either side of the boy,

“Are you okay?” Eren questioned, looking at Armin with concern.

“I'm scared.”

“What for?”

“It's been seven years, I'm so scared…how will she react?” Armin could feel his stomach churn over and over.

“It's okay to be scared, but we've come this far. You're one of the bravest people I know, Armin.” Eren said truthfully, “Don't dwell on the 'what if's', just keep your mind set on how thrilled she will be to see you after all this time. And remember what I said before, Mikasa and me are here for you.”

Armin remained silent for several more moments, just staring down at the grass. He had never felt so anxious in his life, at the same time he was excited. He wondered how it was even possible to feel so absolutely terrified and exhilarated simultaneously.

“When you are ready, Armin.” Mikasa said, ensuring that there was no pressure on him to make a move any time other than when he felt comfortable to do so.

The boy sat for a while more under the tree, taking deep breaths and running his hand through his hair every now and then.

“I think my heart will burst through my chest at this rate…” he said, “I must see her, before it cuts out on me.” It was then that Armin brought himself to his feet. His legs noticeably shook from nerves but nevertheless he began to walk in the direction of the house he knew to be Annie's. Even Eren started to feel apprehensive as they got closer. They walked up a hill and at the very top there was a single house, larger than Armin's but in the same medieval style.

“This is it.” Armin's voice was almost inaudible as he stood before the house. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, mustering up all of the courage he had to approach the door and knock. A part of him wanted to run to the door, to see her, but the other part was petrified.

 _Go. Walk. Move, Armin_ , the boy took a step forward and with every step that followed, the pace increased. Eren and Mikasa were right behind him and by the time he reached the door, the boy was practically hyperventilating. His hand visibly shook as he knocked on the wooden door, and waited.

_Oh god, please answer. I've wanted to see you for such a long, long time…_

The boy felt a sudden qualm as he waited for the door to open. Armin knocked again and waited some more. After another few minutes passed without an answer, the boy was almost in tears at his desperation, “Annie?” he called out and finally, the door swung open. Armin's heart must have stopped for less than a second. However, the person who stood at the door was not Annie Leonhart, nor was the person Annie Leonhart's father. It was in fact someone Armin was unfamiliar with, and he was instantly drowned in disappointment. The man who answered stood propped up by a walking stick, he was missing a leg.

“What do you want? There is no Annie here.” he seemed slightly disgruntled.

Armin could barely form the words to speak, his mouth opened and closed several times before he finally uttered, “I-I'm sorry…Do you…Do you happen to know the girl who used to live here whereabouts?”

“I don't, they moved away a couple of years ago.”

“Oh,” was all Armin could muster. Sheer dread was swallowing him hole by this point.

“I'm sorry I'm not who you are looking for.” With that, the man closed the door in Armin's face.

Armin felt as though he should have broken down right there and then and cried his heart out, but instead he felt numb.

“It's okay Armin…” he vaguely heard Eren say in an attempt to comfort him, but his hearing had gone all funny and the brunet's voice was unclear. The boy just seemed to stare blankly at the door, until Mikasa took hold of his arm and began to lead him away slowly.

Eren took hold of his trunk and the two carried on walking him away from the house. Armin wasn't listening at all. He couldn't seem to focus on anything. “Armin…” Eren's voice kept calling to get his attention and then they stopped somewhere, Armin wasn't sure where.

“It's all over.” the blond said bluntly, he felt so unbearably defeated. He came all this way, and for what?

“I'm so sorry, Armin.” was all Eren could say, but Armin cared little at that moment in time.

“It might not be over just yet, Annie could still be in town.” Eren tried to reason. He was not used to Armin being so unresponsive.

“No. The man said he did not know where she is. In a town like this, he would have known if she was around.”

Mikasa did not speak at all, too upset for her blond friend to say a word. She knew that nothing could really be said to make the situation any better.

“What are we going to do now?” Eren asked, but Armin ignored him.

“I…I don't know what to do…” he finally whispered, “I think, I just want to be alone for a moment.” At that, the boy darted off and Eren and Mikasa quickly rushed after him. They knew he needed space, but not when he was so vulnerable.

The blond started to run through the streets, but came to a sudden stop when he heard someone call out his name.

“Arlert?”

The boy's head turned abruptly to the direction of the voice and his wide blue eyes landed on a tallish male with a long face and dark blond hair with an undercut,

“Arlert, is that _really_ you?” the young man asked, and that's when it clicked.

“J-Jean Kirstein?” Armin knew the face, even though he had matured. Jean had always teased Annie for her height and as a result ended up covered in bruises for it every time. He never seemed to learn from his mistakes.

“So it is you! I was sure I recognised you. You've grown…” Armin just blinked, “I haven't seen you in years. I didn't think you would ever return…What are you doing here again?”

“I…” Armin found it difficult to articulate himself, everything was just so overwhelming. “I came back for someone.”

“Who?” Jean cocked an eyebrow and looked at him as if he were crazy.

Suddenly, Armin realised something and he felt hopeful again for a split second. Perhaps Jean knew Annie's whereabouts.

“Jean, do you know where Annie Leonhart is?” the boy's heart was already racing.

“Annie Leonhart? Ah,” the taller boy smiled a little, “You came back for her.”

“Yes, now Jean, can you please answer me. Do you know where she is!?” the blond had little patience left, if Jean knew where Annie was, it would mean there was still every chance they could be reunited and that his journey had not been in vain.

Jean Kirstein looked to Eren and Mikasa who accompanied the blond, and then back to the shorter of the trio, “Please, come back to mine. I'll tell you all I know.”

Armin was positive Jean had not changed one bit, he was still annoying as ever. He wanted, no he _needed_ to know if Jean knew where Annie was, “Do you know where she is or not?” the blond's tone was more than desperate.

“Yes, I think so.” Jean replied and Armin felt instantly alleviated, “Come to mine. Your friends are welcome as well.” he encouraged. Armin wasted no time, and the trio followed Jean back to his home.

There, he would hopefully find answers. Maybe, it wasn't all over just yet.


	12. Chapter 12

**September, 1944**

Had Armin lost his mind? Even though Jean Kirstein had been somewhat of a childhood friend and his hometown looked no different to the day he had left, things were different. Times _had_ changed. That became very clear once they reached the young man's home and a red flag hung above the door. Eren stiffened but did not utter a word. Instead, he turned to the dark haired girl beside him whose body language had suddenly become very defensive.

“J-Jean, on second thoughts, we are in a bit of a hurry. It would be useful if you could perhaps just tell me where Annie is, there isn't much need to go inside.” Armin wavered and panic quickly consumed him.

“Don't be so ridiculous, Arlert. You must come inside. It's been such a long time, after all.” the teen's light brown eyes suddenly glanced at the female of the group and he addressed her, “But first, please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jean Kirstein. Armin and I were friends when we were little.” The boy explained. Armin wouldn't exactly have called them _friends_ , but it was true that they had known each other since they were very young. At the very least, Jean never beat him up.

“Ackerman.” The girl replied bluntly,

“Your full name?” Jean prompted.

Mikasa's outward appearance remained relatively calm, except for the slight change to her body language. Nobody would have guessed that fear was flurrying inside of her, “Mikasa.”

The girl's eye's widened ever so slightly when Jean unexpectedly took hold of her hand and knelt down to place a light kiss on top. Mikasa quickly retracted her hand as he stood up again, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” the teen's small brown eyes locked with her grey, “Your hair…it's so dark. I've never seen a woman with pure black hair like yours before, it looks like silk.” Just as Jean was about to reach out and touch a strand of Mikasa's hair, she stepped back. “Perhaps you're a little shy?” he smiled and Armin watched as the look in Eren's eye became ever the more dangerous. Even though the brunet was unable to understand what Jean was saying, he knew what was going on. If Eren snapped now, Armin knew it would end badly.

Many thoughts were whizzing around in Armin's head but he quickly realised exactly what was happening. It was obvious that Jean had an interest in Mikasa, not him. When Mikasa did not respond, Jean turned his attention to the slightly shorter brunet who stood firmly by the Asian's side, “And you are?” he questioned. Eren remained silent. Was he going to be playing mute again? The boy wasn't sure he would be able to pull it off this time.

“This is Eren Jӓger…” Armin answered uncomfortably after a few moments of awkward silence. In all honesty, the boy had not thought this through at all, which was very uncharacteristic of him. However, Jean seemed to be his only hope of being reunited with his sweetheart.

“Why can't Eren Jӓger answer that for himself?”

“That's because…he is mute.” Armin responded quietly. Beads of sweat started to form at the top of his forehead. The situation was quickly becoming distressing. All he wanted was to know where Annie was. He had never been close to Jean and a catch up really wasn't necessary.

“That's very unfortunate. Can he understand at least?” Jean asked, eyeing up Eren and looking down his nose at the same time.

“…No, he cannot. He is deaf. He can only communicate through sign language.” Armin felt awful lying about his best friend, but he didn't know what Jean's stance was, and it wasn't like he could even ask. If he knew there was an enemy in the midst how would he react? Thankfully, the taller boy was completely unaware that Armin's grandfather had been a Jew or so Armin thought, but that wasn't the main concern, Eren giving himself away was a bigger problem.

“Poor bastard,” Jean patted Eren on the shoulder out of pity and the boy quickly shrugged him off, almost growling at the taller male. “With a flaw like that, I'm surprised he got this far. He's not exactly useful is he?” Armin didn't respond and he tried his hardest not to grimace. He assumed this was the mentality of the German youth, of course it all came down to the idea of a 'perfect race', but it was not only limited to that, many other factors came into play. Quite clearly, anyone who was not able bodied was also discriminated against. Armin was angry, more than angry, but also frightened. He was unable to speak out, because he knew he wouldn't get the information he so desperately needed, and far worse could happen to all three of them. “Anyway, you wanted to know about Fraulein Leonhart?” The blond boy swallowed a lump that had been caught at the back of his throat and nodded quickly, “Let's go inside,” Jean opened the door but stepped back, allowing Mikasa to enter first and the three males followed in after her.

They found themselves sitting around a table in a pretty kitchen. Everyone was quiet at first until Jean spoke up again, “My mother will be back from town soon.” he warned,

“That's not a problem.” Armin responded, although his body temperature was rising. He knew he was sweating again, “So, if you please…c-can you tell me where Annie is?”

“Why did the two of you never think to write to each other?”

“O-our circumstances were complicated. I moved out of the country…”

“I never knew the story. One day, you just disappeared…”

“M-my family wanted to go travelling, you see.”

“Ah,” Jean nodded.

Relief washed over the boy, Jean obviously had no idea about the truth. He was glad for the fact that his grandfather had not been a practising Jew, as it meant that very little people in town knew except for the likes of Annie's father who was in the secret police.

“Well, I never saw Annie much after you left. She was such a strange girl who always isolated herself from people.” Jean frowned and let out a sigh, “I last saw her two years ago. Her father became an SS and Police Leader situated in Dachau, or so I heard. Of course, she left with him.”

“ _Dachau_!?” Armin blurted out, Jean simply nodded in response. Armin was suddenly hit by a wave of nausea, everything seemed so hopeless again.

“An SS and Police Leader?” Mikasa's grey eyes flickered with anger and she suddenly felt extremely unsettled, “Are you absolutely sure Annie Leonhart is currently in Dachau?” her tone was serious.

“I'm rather sure.”

“How will I find her there…?” Armin said more to himself than anyone, despair weighed down on the teen and he could feel tears of frustration pricking at the corners of his eyes.

“Don't worry, it won't be difficult to find your sweetheart,” Jean assured, “Her father's position will make it easier for you, he is a well-known and respected man. Ask anyone who lives nearby and they will be able to help, the odds are their home is located very near to the prison anyway, the majority of staff who work at large prisons like that will be living on the grounds or nearby.”

“But you do not know that.” Mikasa interrupted before Armin could say another word.

“I'm fairly certain.”

“I do not want you to send us on a wild goose chase,” the Asian gave him a stern look.

Jean shook his head furiously, “Of course not! I wouldn't do that to you, or Armin. But, I do have a question for you.” A faint redness became present on the boy's thin face,

“What?” Mikasa waited.

“Would you consider, perhaps, staying here…with me?”

 _Of course,_ Armin thought bitterly, _Jean doesn't care. He doesn't really want to help me find Annie. All he cares about is his chances with Mikasa, since he's obviously smitten with her._

“I am sorry but no,” the Asian shook her head, “I am committed to my friends, I have decided to help Armin and Eren. My loyalties lie with them. Please do not ask me again.”

Before anyone could speak, Jean was out of his seat and kneeling before the girl, “Then let me come with you.”

Armin tried to make eye-contact with Eren, who was quite visibly becoming more and more irritated. Armin needed to make that contact, to stop him from doing something stupid.

Mikasa shook her head, “There is no need.”

“But I insist.”

Armin's heartbeat was escalating. The whole situation was spiralling out of control and fast.

“As I said, there is no need…” Mikasa's voice was quiet and she looked to Eren, she could feel the sizzling tension emitting from the boy.

“It's the very least I can do...”

“No.” Mikasa's calm exterior was cracking as her patience started to wear thin.

Jean tried to take hold of Mikasa's hand but she withdrew quickly. It was the final straw for Eren, and he suddenly erupted, “I can't take this anymore!” the boy slammed his fists down on the table and rose from his seat. Armin's breath hitched in his throat at the outburst and the Asian girl jumped, “I'm sick and tired of this. I don't even know who the hell you are or what the hell we are doing here because I can't understand a bloody word anyone is saying. I can't play mute anymore…and keep your hands away from Mikasa, she's not interested do you understand me, kraut!?”

Jean stood and his eyes turned very dark, very quick, “You…You're an Englander?” he addressed Eren in English, but switched back to German when he turned to Armin again, “You said he was deaf and mute…what is the meaning of this? Have you gone insane?” the atmosphere suddenly became very hostile.

“I can explain, I—” Armin started but he was cut off,

“You're a traitor.” Jean glowered, “I always knew there was something weird about you.”

“J-Jean, please, listen…” Armin was frantically searching for something to say to calm the boy down. His heart was thumping wildly and his breathing was becoming strained.

The German shook his head in disgust, “You've brought the enemy into _my_ home. After all they have done to us! So many of our good men have died…” Jean trailed off and looked down to the ground for a brief moment, “Do you remember Marco Bodt?” he asked,

Armin nodded slowly, the freckled boy was always at Jean's side when they were children, he could never forget.

“Marco is fucking dead because of your friend,” Jean spat, “He was my best friend.”

“I'm so sorry to hear that…But that is not Eren's fault. Nor is it the fault of the British people…The real enemy is Hitler.” Armin swallowed. Maybe Jean would butcher him for what he had said, but the words sort of tumbled from his mouth before he could even stop himself.

“What the fuck are you talking about Arlert?”

Mikasa placed a hand on Armin's shoulder in an attempt to stop him, but Armin refused to be a coward anymore, “I'll tell you the truth and maybe then you will see sense,” he said defiantly, “My grandfather was a Jew. My whole family had to flee the country because of the Nazis. Don't you think that's rather sick? Subjecting a group of innocent people to hell and using them as a scapegoat for the condition Germany was in after the Great War. All These years I've been in England, praying for the day when I could return to the homeland I knew before Hitler rose to power. Praying that I one day I could see Annie once again. The man is an evil tyrant—thousands have suffered and died because of him. Mikasa spent half her life in an orphanage because of this regime.” Armin let out a breath, he was extremely riled up. So riled up that he barely feared how Jean would react to his words.

After several moments of pure silence, Jean finally spoke up, “…I should kill you for opposing the Führer.” his voice was incredibly low and quiet but Armin could detect a hint of reluctance in his tone. He quickly picked up on his weakness—if Jean had wanted to kill him, he would have done it right away.

“So do it. Kill me, Jean.”

“Armin—” Mikasa gasped.

“That's what you _should_ do, that is, if you truly believe the Führer is doing what is good and right. Kill me.”

“Someone please tell me what is going on.” Eren was still fuming. Mikasa quickly hushed him and stood in front of the brunet, this time she was acting as his shield.

Jean looked as if he was having a breakdown. The internal conflict he was going through was written all over his face.

“If you kill Armin, kill me too.” Mikasa added and Jean started to visibly shake, “I hate the Führer just as much as he does. The Nazis have destroyed my life.”

“…I…” a single tear rolled down the German boy's cheek, “I…I can't!”

“Why?” Armin questioned, “Is it because you know deep down everything is wrong?”

“Marco died for nothing…” the boy started to sob and Armin frowned. So many people had died for nothing. It was just the nature of war.

Suddenly, the door opened and Jean's mother stepped into the kitchen. The taller male quickly composed himself and wiped away any evidence that he had been crying. Both Armin and Mikasa's bodies visibly relaxed. Neither had noticed how tense they had been up until that moment.

“Jean boy, you have friends over?”

There was a hesitant pause and then Jean spoke up, his brown eyes were fixed on his feet, “They were just leaving.” he mumbled.

“Oh,” before anyone could even bat an eyelid, they were rushed away from the kitchen and out of the house, “They are more than welcome to stay for lunch!” Jean's mother called, but her son chose to ignore her.

“Leave.” Jean uttered once they all stood outside of the small house.

“Jean, I really am sorry that Marco was killed,” Armin said sincerely, he knew it must have been hard on Jean. The news made Armin's heart heavy with sorrow too as Marco had been a friend.

Jean didn't speak for a long moment and when he did, his voice was barely above a whisper, “He thought he was fighting to restore the glory to the German people.”

“He was a soldier?” The blond was shocked, he hadn't expected Marco to have been a soldier. He assumed he was killed by the air raids.

“We both went to war. We lied and said we were older so we could fight, but only I came back alive. My mother was furious.” Armin felt his heart sink into his stomach. He was completely lost for words. “Now leave, Arlert.” Jean started to scowl at them both again.

“I think you always knew the true nature, you just wanted to believe it was the right thing to do.” Armin whispered.

“No. There was a time when I really believed in the Führer. But then I saw my best friend friend's dead body. I hadn't even been there with him in his final moments. I tried to believe that this war was right but I couldn't help but think it was actually very wrong. I was sent home afterwards, as I was too young to be there in the first place. Do not get me wrong, I want Germany to be victorious. I want those days of humiliation to be over. I only wish that there was another way of achieving that.”

“One day, when Europe is wiped of evil, Germany along with every other country will live in peace.” Jean said nothing and Armin knew that it was time to leave, “Goodbye Jean, and thank you.”

The taller boy nodded his head at Armin and Mikasa, but refused to acknowledge Eren. He was about to wish the boy good luck on finding Annie, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Eren only frowned at the taller male and was happy to walk away in the end. As the trio left Jean behind, Armin felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

“You do realise he could have killed us, Armin,” Mikasa announced as they walked back towards the train station, “Most men his age would have put a bullet right through your head.”

“I realise. I'm very sorry for being so selfish,” It felt as though the guilt was eating him alive, “But I knew that he wouldn't.”

“Not that I would have let him, I suppose. I would have defended you both.” Mikasa added.

“That was intense.” Eren ran a hand through his hair, “I'm sorry I snapped back there. It was my fault that everything went wrong.”

“It's not your fault, Eren. It was mine. I should never have followed Jean back to his home so willingly. I did not care to even think of the consequences.”

“I was just so angry.” Eren said as he tightened his fists.

Armin looked to his best friend, “I know it made you angry to see Jean trying to make a move on Mikasa.”

Eren's face immediately turned very red, “It wasn't like that…I just didn't want her to get hurt again.”

“Thank you, Eren.” Mikasa smiled at the boy with the faintest redness present on her own cheeks, it only furthered the boy's blush.

“Besides,” he started in an attempt to divert the conversation away from the path it was heading, “do you have any idea how it feels to be in a room full of people speaking in a foreign tongue and you can't understand a word?”

“I know and I'm really sorry. I cannot wait for this to all be over.” Armin felt guilty all over again, he absolutely hated putting Eren through this.

“Where are we going from here? Is it far?” Eren asked after a couple of moments,

“We are heading to the town of Dachau.” he replied, “Annie's father works there.”

Armin started to feel sick again. The news was devastating, not only had he travelled all the way to his hometown only to find that Annie no longer lived there, but to then discover her father was now a member of the SS made matters even worse. He wondered how life had been for Annie over the past couple of years. Knowing what her father was like, it had probably been hell for her. To top it all off, they now had to travel almost all the way back to where they had met Mikasa in Munich. It was at least a three hour trip and even after their arrival, Armin was unsure of Annie's precise location. The forlorn boy sighed and pulled out Annie's ring from the pocket of his waistcoat, “I just want to see her…”

“Do not worry, we will find her.” Mikasa assured,

“Don't think for even a moment that we will give up on you.” Eren added.

“Thank you so much, both of you.”

“It's what friends are for,” the brunet put an arm around Armin's shoulder and smiled lightly.

As another train could be heard approaching the platform, the trio stepped forward. Armin had already planned it all out, they would go back to Ansbach, from there they would catch the train to Augsburg and finally from Augsburg, they would be able to catch the train to Dachau. Provided the train tracks had not been damaged, they should be in Dachau by the late evening.

* * *

It took a good few hours, but not as long as expected. However, the sun was already setting as they finally approached the medieval town of Dachau. Home to one of the largest concentration camps in Germany and where Annie Leonhart's father was currently working—no doubt making many people's lives a living hell with his cruelty. Armin would never forget how he was threatened as a young child by that man and he shuddered at the mere thought. He hoped he would not have to face him again, but he wondered realistically what the odds were of that not happening. It looked pretty bleak. All he wanted was to meet Annie again and free her from her father who had always controlled her.

The blond felt more nervous now than ever, and his heart was beating like a drum. What made him more anxious was the fact that he was not even in the comfort of his hometown anymore. He had never visited Dachau before, but the place was littered with Nazi soldiers. The trio had to be on guard or they were likely to be caught and killed.

“What's the plan now?” Eren said quietly and turned to Armin.

“We have no choice but to ask around for Annie Leonhart. It's best we try and get closer to the prison.”

“I do not want to see one of those _camps_ ,” Mikasa muttered, “My father was murdered in one. It's dangerous, too.”

“I understand, but I might have to. Of course, Mikasa you can stay behind with Eren if it comes to that. I don't want to make either of you feel uncomfortable or put you in danger.”

“…No,” Mikasa shook her head and started to play with the ends of her scarf, “I will go with you both. I can't say it will be a pleasant experience but I will not leave you behind.”

“Only if you are sure…” the Asian just nodded in response.

“Right,” Eren piped up, “Let's find your sweetheart. We've all waited long enough to meet her, and we're here now.”

Armin's stomach flipped over at Eren's words and his heart pounded against his ribcage, “She is here in this town somewhere. We're so close and she doesn't even know it yet…” Armin whispered.

“Well, Miss Leonhart is about to find out.” Eren smiled at his friend and the blond boy returned an anxious smile.

The boy felt lightheaded at the prospect of finally be reunited with the girl again, but he knew he wasn't going to just bump into her in the streets, that would be far too good to be true, and so the trio set off around the town asking if anyone knew the blonde or her whereabouts. Most had no idea and it got later and later, but eventually they met someone who was able to give them some useful information.

“Helferin Annie? Oh, I know her. She lives by the river.” A girl with amber coloured eyes and chin length, wavy blonde hair stated, “Who are you?”

“R-really? I'm a childhood friend,” he replied hastily. His heart was absolutely thrashing.

“Yes! I'm Hitch Dreyse by the way” the girl introduced.

“Armin Arlert. Thank you Hitch, really thank you so much!” Armin rushed out and was off again, not before quickly bidding his farewell to the young woman who had provided the vital information.

 _At long last,_ Armin thought to himself, _I'll be able to see her face again. This is it…I'll be reunited with Annie once again!_


	13. Chapter 13

**September, 1944**

“Hold on,” Hitch's voice could be heard calling out to the trio as they made their way hurriedly towards the river, “Wait!”

Armin came to a stop and turned back to see the young woman running towards them, he had never felt so impatient in his life as he waited for Hitch to catch up, “What is it?” he questioned in an almost exasperated tone.

“I didn't mention a door number,” the woman giggled, “What were you planning to do? Knock on every door until you find her?” The blond boy's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment, his mind was clearly a jumbled mess. “I can show you the way if you would like, it will probably be easier.” she offered and Armin nodded slowly. At the back of his mind, he wondered why the girl was so willing to help.

“Thank you, again…” the boy smiled, still somewhat flustered.

“I had no idea Annie even had any friends.” Hitch said after a moment or two while smiling to herself. Armin turned to Hitch and was about to ask why she thought that way, but in the end he kept his mouth shut. To think that Hitch probably knew Annie better than he did made him feel somewhat sad, but he quickly shook the feeling off. “That Annie…she's a strange one,” Hitch added after another minute.

“W-what do you mean?” Armin asked, this time he really couldn't contain his curiosity.

“It seems like she really despises socialising with anyone, I have tried to talk to her on many occasions but she never let me in. She's so nonchalant, I really don't understand her. That dark expression on her face gets old too…She should try smiling more.”

Armin said nothing, once again pushing thoughts to the back of his mind.

As they followed behind Hitch as she lead the way, Armin's heart hammered against his chest. He could feel the ends of his fingertips tingle from the adrenaline rush he was experiencing. Mikasa and Eren both noticed how he shook and the Asian placed a gentle and calming hand on top of the teen's shoulder to reassure him that she and Eren were there for him and that he was not alone. The moment he had been waiting for was fast approaching and he couldn't have felt more nervous. This time unlike last, he would face Annie for sure.

They walked for what felt like ten or so minutes and then the four suddenly came to a stop, “That's it right there.” Hitch announced and pointed to a nice sized house at the bottom of the hill. Armin's blue eyes focussed on the place where Annie Leonhart was currently residing and he blinked, he really hadn't been paying anything or anyone any attention, his mind buzzing.

Before Armin had a chance to speak Mikasa asked, “Do you know if the girl's father will be home?”

Armin's stomach churned uneasily, his mind had been so preoccupied with the thought of seeing Annie again that he completely forgot about her father, who was undoubtedly a very large problem. It was a good thing Mikasa was thinking clearly, unlike himself.

“Ah,” Hitch rubbed her chin, “Most likely not, he works at the prison and has accommodation on the grounds. I don't see him around often so I assume he stays there most of the time.”

“I see. Thank you.” Mikasa nodded at the other female.

“Well, good luck. I better be heading back home now, it's rather late after all.” Hitch announced.

“O-oh, thank you again, Hitch. This means the world to me.” Armin smiled at the woman, who really had no idea of how significant this was to him.

“Good luck.” she said again and with that she left them standing at the top of the hill alone. A cool night's breeze rustled the grass around their legs and they all stood in silence for a moment, just looking down at the house. The lights were on, confirming that someone was definitely inside.

“I take it we're here then?” Eren announced, turning to the two. Armin and Mikasa nodded simultaneously.

The blond swallowed a lump caught in his throat, “O-okay,” he breathed. He was still shaking and he knew that he had to try and calm his nerves. The last thing he wanted was to be a blushing and stammering mess when he greeted her.

_I need to compose myself, but I feel so terrified. What if in the end she really doesn't know who I am? What if she no longer cares or loves me anymore?_

Armin shook his head and tried to push his fears to the side and remembered what Eren had said, _“No more what if's, we've somehow got this far. Don't you see that as a sign, Armin? It seems like fate is on your side…”_

“…Fate…” Armin mumbled to himself.

“Hey,” Eren snapped the blond away from his thoughts, “How are you feeling?”

“Anxious, but ready.” Armin confirmed and nodded his head.

“Do you want Mikasa and me to wait back here? Or would you prefer if we came with you?”

“I want you both to come with me, of course. I wouldn't have made it this far without the two of you and I know you want to meet her too.”

“Too right I do.” Eren was admittedly extremely curious to meet his best friend's sweetheart.

“And you too Mikasa?” Armin asked, because he wanted to be sure that the quiet girl was comfortable with everything. He turned to look at her and she nodded her head without saying a word. Although she was most certainly interested to meet Annie, the teen noticed an underlying look of concern on her face which unnerved him a little.

“T-then let's go.” Armin announced, but his legs didn't seem to want to move. He was still so terrified.

 _Come on, she's waiting for you! You can do this_ , the boy tried to encourage himself to step forward, _don't be afraid of whatever fate has in store…_

Armin closed his eyes for a brief moment and took what must have been the hundredth deep breath that night. After several more seconds of mentally preparing himself, his large blue eyes reopened and the boy finally brought himself to move. He walked slowly at first, but once the trio reached the bottom of the hill Armin's pace picked up. By the time he met the door, his heart was thrashing rather violently against his chest.

After years of picturing this moment, the time had finally come. After risking his life by travelling across a war-torn continent, the boy had reached his destination. His dream of meeting Annie again was about to become a reality.

Eventually the blond brought his knuckles to the door, followed by another deep breath and the feeling of light-headedness. Armin's heart felt as if it would literally explode at the rate it was going and he looked down to his feet because he suddenly felt so afraid to look into those beautiful blue eyes again. With every insufferable second that passed, he felt his heart sink further into the pit of his stomach. His hands became clammier and his bottom lip quivered with both anticipation and anxiousness.

“Look,” Eren mumbled, noticing someone at the window. The brunet only caught a glimpse of the mysterious figure as they pushed the curtain aside very briefly and then quickly disappeared again, “Someone is coming,” he whispered excitedly. The boy gave his blond friend a nudge and at hearing Eren's words, Armin's heart skipped a beat. He looked up from his feet and in a matter of moments, the door flew open.

And that's when two pairs of blue eyes met.

Her eyes were exactly how he remembered. As they continued to stare into each other's soul's, Armin wondered if any of this was real. After the initial shock, her eyes remained wide, conveying her complete and utter disbelief and her mouth parted ever so slightly. Armin opened his own mouth in an attempt to say something, _anything_ , but his mind had gone blank and all he was able to do was stare back at her wordlessly. He realised he must have looked a fool, but that did not matter. Nothing mattered, because he was standing opposite Annie Leonhart.

She was different, of course she had matured. She was much curvier, yet a small woman, at least a lot shorter than himself. Her face was more defined—especially her cheekbones, and she had grown into her nose nicely, which had always been on the large side. One thing Armin was certain: she was undeniably beautiful, more beautiful than he had ever imagined and his heart was pounding over her.

The stunned silence lingered some more and the boy could feel his face begin to heat up because he still couldn't find the words to express how he was feeling. He wanted someone to pinch him, to confirm that this was not a dream.

“…Armin?” she finally asked, raising her eyebrows at the realisation. Her voice gave the boy goosebumps and he merely nodded in response, still finding it difficult to articulate what he wanted to say but at the same time feeling a wave of relief wash over him because she _remembered_. She knew who he was even after all of these years. “…I…I can't believe it...” The woman brought a hand to cover her mouth in shock and she looked down for a second. When their blue eyes met once more her hand fell from her mouth, “My God…How? What… _What_ are you doing here?” this was clearly all too much for her to take in. She had not been expecting her childhood friend to turn up at her door after all these years, especially not in the middle of a war.

“I promised you, did I not?” his voice shook ever so slightly as he addressed her for the first time in seven years. The blonde shook her head, astounded. She was completely lost for words. “I'm s-sorry I took so long.” He gave her a small smile and mentally cursed himself for stuttering. To be in her presence again left him feeling awestruck.

Annie did not speak for a while, but when she did, she beckoned him inside. Eren and Mikasa followed after, exchanging odd glances at each other. They had imagined a more extravagant reunion, both had pictured the woman to dramatically throw herself into Armin's arms and for them to share a true love's kiss…But this was the real world, and life was not a fairy-tale.

The blonde woman walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, Armin noticed how her pale hand shook as she held the glass. His heart was thumping wildly as he watched her every move, waiting for her to speak again. After she took a sip, she brought the back of her hand to either side of her face as if trying to cool herself down. She looked relatively composed, but the boy knew her well and he could see the hurt in her eyes.

Annie placed the glass on top of the kitchen table and looked into his eyes, “Why did you not write?” she questioned and Armin felt his heart lurch.

“But I _did_ , I wrote many letters. I had to stop after the war broke out of course, but there wasn't a day that went passed where I did not think of you.” At first, the boy was briefly met with confusion, but he quickly realised that Annie's father was obviously behind this. He had most likely hid the letters from her.

_How cruel…_

“I was convinced you had forgotten all about me,” her eyes bore into his and he wanted more than anything to reach out to her. He was still having difficulty wrapping his head around the fact that he was standing in the same room as her.

“Deep darkness ripped us apart all those years ago, but there is nothing more important to me than your existence. I've waited so long to see you again, to tell you how I feel, to be with you…” Armin stepped forward.

Eren and Mikasa both stood at the door watching and listening. They wanted to give Armin space but at the same time were curious to how this was going to unfold. Of course, Eren could not understand a word but Mikasa acted as translator. The Asian girl tried hard to mask her fears but it seemed like the brunet had picked up on her qualms.

“What's wrong, Mikasa?” he muttered, but she shook her head. She did not want to alarm the boy, but surely Armin recognised the uniform Annie Leonhart was wearing. A foreboding feeling welled inside of the dark haired girl and she wanted more than anything to leave the house, but that was not possible.

More silence followed and the blonde took a step closer to the boy. She had a cool expression on her face, despite everything. However Armin knew that she was hiding her true feelings—it was evident in her eyes, she had just become considerably better at doing so since their childhood days. The young woman suddenly raised a hand as if she was about to reach out to him, to touch his face, but then she paused momentarily and quickly retracted her hand. In that split second, Armin saw past her mask. He took advantage and reached out to her. His digits ran softly over her pale cheek and he placed a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear, the rest was tied up in a tight bun. The boy's heart was raging, little did he know but the smaller blonde's was beating faster than it had done in years as she continued to stare at him, her thoughts a mystery.

“I never thought I would see you again.” she breathed, her voice so quiet that it almost went unheard.

“Me too…” Armin whispered back and took hold of both her hands. They both trembled with their overwhelming emotions, “Now we can finally be together again…”

“How did you find me?” she gave him a somewhat quizzical look, but Armin shook his head lightly,

“I will tell you everything, but first we must leave here.”

“ _Leave?_ ” suddenly, as if Armin had said something so preposterous, the blonde pulled her hands away from his and took a step back. The boy's eyes widened and his heart lurched again. He felt almost sick as he watched Annie's facial expression morph into one of absurdity, “I'm afraid I cannot leave. I'm sorry, I cannot go with you.”

Sensing the sudden change in the atmosphere, Mikasa stepped forward so that she stood closely behind the blond boy and Eren followed suit.

“W-why not?” at hearing her words, he felt like the world was suddenly shattering into pieces all around him, “Why can't you come with me?”

Annie's face hardened and her blue eyes briefly met the other two teens in the room. She looked back to Armin, but did not utter a word. The silence was harrowing.

Armin blinked, the frustration and despair eating him alive, “Please answer me Annie. Say something…” the boy practically begged.

Annie briefly diverted her eyes from his but it was only for less than a second, “I have gone down a very different path…”

Taking in her words and understanding them fully, the realisation hit him hard. He looked at what she was wearing with more attention this time and wanted to slap himself for not noticing sooner. A grey single breasted jacket, matching knee length skirt, a white blouse with a black neck-tie that was slightly loose around her thin neck, and the all-important 'SS' insignia. The uniform alone wasn't significant, it was that badge next to her breast that was. He hadn't even realised yet, but hot tears were already streaming down his cheeks.

“How… _How_ could you? How could you become one of _them_!?” he raised his voice, feeling so, _so_ betrayed. The hurt he felt was painted all over his face in one of the most pained expressions possible.

 _No,_ he thought frantically to himself, _this_ _can't be...Annie can't be one of them. She wouldn't betray me like that...She's a good person._ But that badge on her uniform begged to differ and Armin couldn't help but feel as though his life was crashing and burning.

The blonde avoided eye-contact and let out a laugh that shocked them all. Both Eren and Mikasa tensed up at the sudden turn of events but neither said a word. Annie bit down on her bottom lip before answering the boy, “There is just no place for something like love and romance in this rotten world,” she looked up at him for a moment and then spoke again, “I was selfish, Armin. I was selfish for making you promise that we would meet again. Because, I never believed I would see you again, not even for a moment. But you, you're a good person. You really did believe, and you came back for me. But's it's too late now, and I'm sorry.”

Armin shook his head. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Surely she was bluffing? He searched for any sign that indicated she was indeed lying and he wanted desperately to make eye-contact with her again, but she was good at avoiding his gaze. Through his own tears, he could see that her eyes were glistening and her body language had changed completely. There was no way she was being truthful, Armin just couldn't and wouldn't accept that.

“That's not true, Annie. You believed too. I can see right through you!”

Before Annie could open her mouth again, Eren stepped forward with a dangerous look in his turquoise eyes, “Is this some kind of sick joke!?” he hollered. For a second, she looked taken back.

“Eren,” Mikasa hissed and placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

Eren quickly shook her off and continued with his rant, not caring if Annie was able to understand him or not, “I won't stand for this. Are you trying to tell me that Armin, no, _we_ have come all this way only to discover you're a Nazi whore!? Do you have any _idea_ what we've been through to get here, so that Armin could see you again!?”

“ _Eren!_ “ Mikasa pulled him back with force this time.

The glare on Eren's face was mirrored on Annie's and she took a few steps back so that she was leaning against a cabinet with her hands placed behind her back, “Some time ago,” she stated with a very heavy German accent, “I realised something. This world is shit, and I dedicated everything to the Fatherland and Führer. I will not look back now,”

“Annie…” Armin stepped forward in a final attempt at reasoning with her as a steady flow of tears continued to pour from his eyes.

The blonde refused to look at him, most likely because the boy was probably her only weakness and although Armin was full of despair, he clung to the hope that that was the case. Before anyone had time to act, the girl slipped a hand into the drawer behind her and pulled out a gun, she pointed the weapon at Eren and Mikasa and the two froze immediately. 

“And, I am not afraid to kill either of you two.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like a lot of you saw this coming...to those of you who did, I only hope it wasn't _too_ predictable. If you had no idea, then hopefully you enjoyed the twist. I really hope I did a good job with this, I felt like because it's such an important chapter it needs to be perfect, so I am anxious to what you will make of it. It may seem a little fast paced and confusing, but all will be explained. I also feel sort of bad leaving poor Armin in such a heartbreaking situation, but there will be plenty more chapters to come, so stay tuned and enjoy.


	14. Chapter 14

**September, 1944**

Annie's slender finger hovered dangerously over the trigger and Armin's heart stopped.

The boy let out a choked gasp. He couldn't even begin to comprehend why she was doing this. However, his heartbreak was pushed aside as anger flurried, taking its place. His tears finally ceased and his eyebrows knitted together, forming a frown. As much as he loved her, he would not allow her to harm his friends.

_I'll do anything to protect them, even if it costs me my life. I'm not a coward, not anymore._

Armin took a step forward and waited for Annie to react, but the girl still refused to give him any attention. “Annie.” he said her name quietly but firmly, “If you kill them, you kill me too.” He spoke to her in their native German and only hoped she would listen. Hearing his words, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye, but said nothing. “I mean it,” the boy's voice remained steady as he ran over to them and held out his arms. Eren and Mikasa remained silent, most likely in the fear that if they dared say a word, Annie would shoot at them.

It was only for a moment, but a look of surprise flashed across Annie's face. “Get out of my way.” she demanded flatly. Although her tone was almost completely emotionless, the fact that she had not shot him yet meant that she was clearly hesitant.

Armin swallowed a lump that was caught in his throat and continued to frown at her, “No,” he spoke with a slight quake in his voice and shook his head, “I won't. Please don't do this, Annie…”

“I don't want to hurt _you_.” she muttered quickly, “Move.” Her extended arm remained sturdy as if she had every intention to shoot.

“Please, let's talk...” Armin pleaded, but she was still dodging his gaze. It was maddening.

“There is nothing to talk about.”

“What are you doing this for!?” Armin shouted vehemently.

“I've told you already.”

“For what? Your father?” Armin could feel tears brimming in his eyes once more, “The man who hid all of the letters I sent you!? The man who lied to you? The man who terrorised my family? Are you forgetting something, Annie…? Did you forget about my Jewish heritage?”

The blonde kept her poker face and simply remained silent. However, Armin could see that his words were slowly getting to her. She was still refusing to make eye-contact, and he could see small beads of sweat forming across the top of her forehead.

Deep down, Armin knew that Annie's heart was not in her actions or what she saying. She was only pretending to believe in it. As long as he kept that in mind, he knew he would be able to get through to her eventually.

_If it's the last thing I do, I will get her to see sense._

“Do you think the Fatherland is winning this war? The almighty Führer is lying to his people left right and centre! You're losing. The allies are already in France, and soon they'll be on your doorstep—”

“You're wrong.” She cut him off abruptly and gave him an icy stare, “There is no way we are losing the war. We will be victorious.” Although her face seemed confident enough, her tone wavered ever so slightly. Nobody else would have been able to pick up on the subtly of it, but Armin had always been very observant.

“I would never lie to you. Just think about it, do you honestly believe it would have been possible for Eren and me to reach France if it had not been liberated? Of course it wouldn't have. As soon as I heard the news in August of Paris' liberation, I was thrilled, because it meant that there was a chance I could see you again.”

“I told you already, Armin. It's too late…” The girl was becoming very flushed as the truth dawned on her. Annie was by no means stupid, she knew Armin wasn't lying. “I'm asking you one more time, move out of the way.”

The boy had to think fast before she was able to put up another one of her walls, it was then that he dipped a hand into the pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out the silver piece of jewellery that he had clung onto for seven years, “Do you remember what you said to me all those years ago?” Annie's pale blue eyes looked to the tiny piece of silver in Armin's hand and she gasped, obviously surprised that he still had it, “You entrusted me with this ring and told me that it would keep us connected while we're apart. Then you said I could return it to you when we meet again. If you truly believed that we would never be reunited, you wouldn't have given me this ring. That's how I knew you were lying when you said that you never believed even for a moment we'd meet again.”

Her blue eyes were glistening again, as if she was on the brink of tears. She then made the foolish mistake of looking into Armin's eyes. He was slowly but surely getting her to crack. By now her whole arm was trembling as she held out the gun. The boy knew that she wasn't going to shoot, not now. Not after saying all of that. She was unable to refute him anyway, because everything he said to her was true.

“Tell me, why do you not stay with your father? He lives in accommodation on the grounds of the prison, right?” Armin questioned, knowing full well what the answer was. At this point, it was written all over the blonde's face. Annie hadn't given up yet though, and quickly blinked back her tears. It frustrated Armin to no end as she persisted on covering up her emotions and lying to herself.

“None of your business.” she was angry, that much was obvious. It was probable that her anger stemmed from the fact that she knew she was unable to argue effectively with him over this. He could read her like a book and it left her feeling vulnerable and exposed. That feeling was something Annie Leonhart was not used to, and she didn't like it one bit.

“Is it because you really can't stand to see what goes on there?” Armin knew he was pushing the boundaries now.

Annie gritted her teeth and scowled at the boy, “You have no idea what you are talking about.” she bit back, but she was losing this battle and Armin knew damn well.

Though there were still tears in his eyes, a small smile found its way to the boy's face, “It's been many years, but I still know you better, Annie. I know that you're not a bad person,” Armin let out a sigh and a few stray tears rolled down his cheeks, “You've hurt me so much, but I don't know your circumstances so I'm willing to forgive you. I really don't want to believe that you wanted to betray me. I don't want to believe you're a bad person at heart and if I truly thought that you were lost, I would not be standing here wasting my breath on trying to get you to see sense.”

Annie removed her hand from the trigger and her shaking arm very slowly descended to her side. The boy let out a breath of relief, however, it was a timely and tense moment before the blonde finally spoke again.

“My, my. Haven't you grown?” her pink lips curved upwards and a single tear rolled down her cheek, causing Armin's heart to pick up pace. It was not quite the reaction he was expecting from her, to say the least. “Your parents and grandfather should be proud.” she added.

Armin didn't know what to say to her. Seven years had passed and so much had changed. There was simply so much to tell her. It was then that Armin realised the reality, and it hit hard: seven years had been, quite frankly, lost.

“My father said you were sent away to a ghetto,” she randomly blurted after a few moments of silence, “I told him he was a liar, but I never heard from you over the years. A part of me started to believe in what he said, and another part of me believed that you simply chose to forget me.”

Armin frowned heavily, “I promise you, I did write to you. I never stopped thinking about you…”

“When I was thirteen, he found all of those old poems you wrote for me and tore them to shreds in front of my eyes.”

The teen felt anguish over what she had said and a deep hatred for her father boiled inside of him. Everything was his fault. Armin just knew that Annie was like this now because of that wretched, vile man.

“He said that by having those, I was a traitor to the Führer.”

Armin brought a hand to wipe away his tears, “So why… _Why_ did you turn to their side?” he finally asked. It was the unpalatable truth that Annie had gone down such an evil path, even if she had been forced into it. Armin still felt as though his heart had been literally ripped out of his chest because of her betrayal and although he did not want to admit it, he knew that Annie must have doubted him at some point otherwise she would never have turned to this, no matter what threats had been made to her.

“I became a woman and made my own choices.”

“That's no excuse…what do you even mean?” Armin grimaced.

The young woman looked down and a piece of blonde hair fell forward, obscuring her eyes, “In the end, only the truest reality will prevail. And that reality is one where the Führer leads the Fatherland to victory.”

“I've had enough.” Mikasa cut in, speaking for the first time since all this began. “I will not stand here and listen to her anymore. Her father is the reason why _my_ father was sent away to a prison and murdered, along with thousands of others.” The Asian girl fearlessly looked Annie directly in the eye, “You are insulting all of us. Armin is just too kind and accepts it, but I will not.” Surprisingly, Mikasa spoke to Annie in English. It was most likely for Eren's sake, but Armin couldn't help but think that the Asian used English partly to throw her off and make her feel uncomfortable. Mikasa's high level of fluency in the language meant that she was completely confident when speaking it, but Armin was not so sure about Annie.

The blonde was absolutely livid and she shot Mikasa a fierce glare. But by this point, her piercing blue eyes were not in the slightest bit intimidating to the Asian. Mikasa was fed up and it became evident very quick that she had less patience than Armin, at least in regards to this matter.

“M-Mikasa—” the blond began but was cut off for the second time that night,

“There is no reasoning with her. She is the product of years of indoctrination, from her father, her education at school, Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth), Bund Deutscher Mädel (League of German Girls) and so on. She believes the Führer cannot fail.”

Armin turned back to Annie, and if looks could kill, they would have all been dead.

“It's not true…Annie, please, tell Mikasa it's not true. I know you're not a mindless monster!” The boy felt like he was back to square one again and wanted to kick himself.

Annie said nothing and the silence cut through him like a knife. When he saw that she was raising the gun again, he panicked.

 _I have to stop her!_ He thought desperately to himself.

“Don't you remember all those summer days we spent together?” he practically shouted and Annie hesitated. Her eyes widened as he continued, “Remember when we snuck into that old lady's garden and then ran for our lives? Do you remember all those stories I told you? What about me reading to you when you felt bored and lonely!? You once told me you loved me! I know it wasn't all a lie, because you cried your eyes out when I told you I had to leave!” he rambled on, tears once again flowing rapidly from his eyes.

Annie seemed stunned and was rendered speechless for a moment or two, “…I'm glad I was able to see you once more.” She finally whispered, “But, I can't go with you.”

“Why?” there was a look of desperation plastered across Armin's face and he felt as though he was going around in circles with her.

“Times have changed.”

“But I still love you more than anything.” He was pleading with her with his eyes and he could see that she still loved him too, but something was holding her back.

“It's no use,” Mikasa muttered quietly, “Let's go.”

“Why would you want to stay here when your father lied to you for years? He doesn't really care about you.” Armin was still defiant, but he knew he was running out of things to say and do to persuade her.

The pain and conflict Annie felt after contemplating his words was evident in her pale blue eyes, and she felt her heart contort.

As much as he wanted to reach out and embrace her, the boy didn't dare move away from Eren and Mikasa as he was still somewhat distrusting of the blonde. The gun was still in her hand after all, and her emotions were all over the place. She continued to try and hide how his words were affecting her, but he was able to see right through her attempts. Her false stoic act was wearing very thin.

“I love you Annie, I always have.” Armin spoke softly, “I've been through some very bad times in past years. My mother and grandfather died, my father left me…but what kept me strong during those dark times was the hope that I would one day see you again. I've been through hell to fulfil my promise to you, and now, I have said all I have to say. I know I cannot force you to come with me. But please remember that promise; remember how we were so wrongfully torn apart by something so evil. Please, I beg of you to reconsider the path you have chosen…” Armin trembled as he waited for her response. He was braver than he ever imagined and stronger too, but he feared what she would say in the end. She was still somewhat mysterious, he could never be fully sure of what was going on in that mind of hers.

Mikasa said nothing more and let Annie have one more chance, but only for Armin's sake. Eren on the other hand continued to give her daggers, because to him, she was an enemy no matter what she said or did.

Armin watched Annie very carefully as the silence persisted. The air was thick with apprehension and her expression became even more pained. She looked so torn. The internal conflict that raged on inside of her was clearly eating her alive and the calm, cool colour of her eyes contrasted heavily with the intense emotions that whirled behind them. It seemed like an eternity before Annie finally gave him an answer.

“Alright,” she breathed, “I'll go with you.”

The boy's heart wavered and his legs suddenly felt very weak. He could have collapsed to his knees, but he remained standing tall. Before anyone had the chance to speak, Annie removed the bullets from the gun and let them drop. Armin jumped at the sound of the gun clattering onto the tiles below a few seconds later as Annie dropped that too. He let out a heavy breath of relief and tottered towards her.

The boy took hold of her trembling hand and noticed that it was stone cold, but also somewhat damp and clammy. His own hand felt similar, except it was considerably warmer. His fingers shook as he placed the silver ring around her fourth finger. When he looked back up to see her face, he felt overwhelmed with emotion, “Let's go.” he uttered quietly.

Annie looked down and slipped out of his hold, “I need to take care of a few things first.” she stepped to the side and Armin simply smiled at her softly and nodded his head. The blonde gave him a nod and walked briskly out of the room, ignoring both Mikasa and Eren as she made her exit.

Armin moved to the side and leaned against the kitchen table for support, he was still shaking quite vigorously. In the end, he decided to take a seat and ran his hands through his hair.

“What the hell is going on? Don't tell me she is coming with us?” Eren whispered angrily.

Armin looked back up to his friend, “Yes. She is.” he answered and only hoped all hell wasn't about to break loose.

“Are you out of your mind!?” Eren raised his voice, “Your precious sweetheart is a Nazi!”

“Keep your voice down,” Armin snapped back, “She's not…She's a good person, okay?”

“A _good_ person? She was completely prepared to kill us!”

“She wouldn't have,” Armin ran another hand through his hair.

“Yes, only because you stood in front of us.” Eren retorted, “I was not expecting _this_. Then again, I don't even know what the hell I was expecting. She's a German and she's been living here all throughout the war. If she wasn't a Nazi by now, she would probably be dead. After all, that's what they do to their people here.” the brunet's eyebrows knitted together.

Armin shut his eyes. He really didn't want to hear any of this.

“Eren's right,” Mikasa commented, “I had my suspicions when Jean Kirstein told us about her father being an SS and Police Leader. It's only natural that he would have an influence on her.”

“Her heart isn't in it and she wants to escape,” Armin spoke quietly yet confidently, though, he couldn't quite ignore an uncomfortable, nagging sensation at the back of his mind.

“I don't know what to say.” Eren muttered, shaking his head disbelievingly.

There was silence among the trio for several minutes. Armin dreaded the thought of having to choose between his friends and Annie, and judging by the way this was heading, it seemed like that was the most likely outcome. The silence dragged on, until the Asian spoke up again and much to Armin's relief, her words brought him comfort.

“I cannot completely trust her. But I will support you.” she locked eyes with Armin and gave him a nod.

“I understand, Mikasa.” A tiny smile found its way to the blond's face, “Thank you.”

Eren crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head away to the side, “I think you're being foolish, but I suppose everyone deserves a second chance.” he murmured.

“I just…” the blond trailed off, finding it difficult to find the right words, “I never thought she would turn her back on me, but from what I've gathered, her situation has been rather terrible over the years. I don't think she really had a choice…” Armin kept his eyes on the table in front him as he spoke.

“You're not trying to excuse her are you?” Armin could sense that Eren was losing his temper again.

“Not at all,” he said in a rush, “I want to try to understand her. She has the opportunity now to redeem herself. She has chosen to come with us, after all. That's a start.”

“Forgive me, but has it not crossed your mind that maybe you're in love with the girl she used to be?”

Armin stood up from his seat and frowned at his friend, “I know that deep down, she's still the same person I fell in love with. You should keep your mouth shut about things you clearly do not understand the first thing about.”

“You're right.” Eren said bitterly, “I don't understand you anymore.” The brunet sat down at the table and downcast his view. Armin slowly descended back into his own seat and did the same.

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the trio once more.

* * *

Annie swiftly pulled open the door to her bedroom and stepped inside. She very calmly closed the door behind her, not wanting it to slam and for anyone to hear. For a moment she just stood with her back against the door. The young woman then brought a hand over her mouth and looked down to her feet, feeling overcome by emotion.

She was so overwhelmed by everything that she could barely hold herself upright and she gradually let herself go. Her back slowly slid down the door and she ended up sitting with her legs drawn to her chest. The blonde rested like that for several minutes and started to observe the ring that Armin had placed around her finger. Her hands were still shaking as she looked at the piece of jewellery. She found herself covered in goosebumps at the memory of the blond boy's touch, after never believing she would ever be able to see or touch him again.

 _What the hell am I doing? We've both gone down very different paths. As much as I want to be with him, more than anything, I know that realistically it can't work, can it? Reality won't allow it._ As these thoughts crossed her mind she started to panic, _No, it can work. It will work. It is true that father betrayed me. He is as good as dead to me now, and I never want to see his face again. But my loyalties still lie with the Fatherland. There is simply no point opposing something that is destined to happen, if I were to go against the flow, I would get myself killed along with Armin. But, Armin's friends are a big problem. I must have them removed from the picture._

She sat for a while more, thinking of what she could possibly do. She wanted to be with Armin, but how could that realistically be achieved? She thought long and hard, and suddenly, an idea came to mind. Annie then brought herself to her feet, knowing that there was no time to spare. She grabbed a pen and paper from her desk drawer and hurriedly started to scribble something down,

_Dear Reiner and Bertolt,_

_I am leaving. I cannot explain everything now in this letter, but please do not tell father that I have gone. I know he will discover I am missing, but you must promise to pretend as if you know nothing. Most likely, he will send you both to come looking for me._

_I will tell you this and this only: I am with an old friend of mine. However he is acquainted with enemies of the Führer and our people. I cannot kill or arrest them because of reasons I would rather not go into. That being said, they need to be dealt with and I need you both to do that job for me. I will head for the German-Swiss border with them. I will make sure that we travel through Munich. You must meet me at St. Peter's Church in two days at 23:00. That is where you can arrest them, and afterwards do as you wish._

_When we meet, you must act like you do not know me. Please do not attempt to harm the blond boy who will be accompanying me, the ones you want are a boy with dark hair and a woman with an East Asian appearance. I will explain everything at a later date. I am sorry that this is so sudden, but I want you to know that my loyalties will always lie with the Fatherland. My circumstances are just extremely complicated right now._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Annie._

Annie sealed the letter in an envelope and quickly stifled a strange, uneasy feeling of guilt that had crept up on her. Instead, she tried to keep her mind focused on the fact that the world was a terrible place and there was nothing she could do about it. It would only improve if the Führer succeeding in cleansing it, or so she had been told. She decided to ignore what Armin had said about the Allies already reaching France and kept telling herself that they would eventually be pushed back by the strength of the German army. Even if she felt uncertain about that, there was one thing she was completely certain of: there was simply no way either of Armin's friends could have a part in her life. They were the wrong kind of people. They were the kind of people she knew she had to make her enemy. Of course, Annie was no fool and knew full well that Armin would despise her if she brought any harm to them. As much as she didn't want to admit, she did not think she could bear to have the boy hate her. After all these years, she still harboured feelings for him. She had never been able to truly forget him, and she had never thought it possible for her to be happy with another, not while there was a chance that Armin was still somewhere in the world. And now, he had come back to her.

Although she did not want to involve her father's underlings, Reiner and Bertolt, she had little choice. Over the years she had spent a considerable amount of time with them and naturally they developed some kind of bond, she trusted them. However, she hesitated to call them friends, and it seemed like for once in her life, she found their acquaintance to be of some use. Now all she had to do was hope they would pull through for her.

Annie changed out of her uniform into a brown skirt that rested slightly below her knee and a white short puff sleeved blouse with a pretty collar and small round buttons down the front. As she put on a pair of black shoes with a slight heel, the image of her father stumbling across the letter before either Reiner or Bertolt flashed across her mind. She worried for a moment, but quickly realised that the chances of her father finding the letter before them was very slim as the man never bothered to return home, not even to visit her. The only time he spent with her was at work.

 _I am not sad to leave him. If this goes right, I may have a chance of happiness with Armin_ , the girl thought to herself as she promptly stuffed some clothes and a few belongings into a small suitcase. When finished with the suitcase, the young woman grabbed a small scarf and placed it over her head. She tied it together underneath her chin so that her blonde hair was all but completely covered except for her bangs that rested on one side of her face.

When she was finally ready, she let out a breath and threw her navy wool coat over her shoulders. She continued down the stairs with her suitcase in one hand and the letter in the other. When she caught site of a mop of golden blond hair at the bottom of the staircase, she felt her heart start to hammer against her chest.

“Ready?” Armin smiled up at her as he watched her walk down the remaining stairs and stop in front of him, Annie only nodded in response.

“I must leave a note behind.” she said seconds later and placed her suitcase down by Armin's foot. The young blonde then proceeded to make her way into the kitchen and made brief eye-contact with Eren and Mikasa who were still waiting in there. As she placed the letter on top of the table, she knew that she was in complete control over their fate and she almost smirked to herself as they both gave her displeasing and distrusting looks. They said nothing to her, but both stood up and followed her out of the room.

“I am so happy to be with you, Annie.” Armin smiled so softly at her, and the smallest of smiles found its way onto her own face but quickly disappeared again,

“We must make sure that nobody sees us as we leave. Understand?” Annie gave the blond a firm look and his heart skipped a beat,

“I understand.” he nodded.

“Let's leave.” Annie announced moments later, and Armin's heart suddenly started to race.

It was all so exciting for the boy, to finally be with his childhood sweetheart once again. It was a new beginning, providing they all managed to get out of the country safely. The joy Armin felt made him almost forget that there was still a war raging on and as he stepped out into the dark night, he was certain he had never felt so purely content in years. However, when he turned to Annie to give her another smile, she was not even looking at him and the look on her face caused that dreadful nagging sensation at the back of his mind to resurface and ruin his peace.


	15. Chapter 15

**September, 1944**

Annie did not say a word as they walked passed the outskirts of town and into another smaller village, though her heart was racing. They were heading to Munich by foot and it would take around three hours, at least, that was her estimation. If it all went to plan, they would reach the city in the early hours of the morning. She kept Eren and Mikasa in the dark, and both teens had little idea as to what exactly was going on.

The silence cut through the stillness of the night like a knife and there was an uncomfortable nip in the air; Armin had been biting his tongue, he didn't even know how it was possible to remain so quiet when there was just so much to be said. The boy couldn't help but glance at the petite blonde by his side every now and then, because he could barely believe that they were together and his heart pounded against his chest, just like hers. It was a wonder that neither could hear the other's heartbeat.

They continued on without saying a word until Armin closed the space between them and was first to break the silence, “You've become very beautiful.” he whispered in a hushed tone, his voice was so low that he doubted either Eren or Mikasa had even heard him as they trailed a short distance behind. Annie looked up at him and the way the moon's light reflected in her icy blue eyes made his heart jump. He couldn't contain the blush that swept across his face, and he couldn't be completely sure because it was so dark, but he could have sworn Annie's porcelain cheeks had tinged pink at his remark.

“…And you've become very handsome.” she responded, her voice even quieter than his own. To Armin's surprise, she spoke up again, “I'm curious, how did you find me?” she turned to him expectantly.

Armin blinked, “Well,” he began, “I travelled across Europe with Eren. We had to pretend to be soldiers to catch a boat across the English Channel. Then we went through France to Switzerland and finally reached Germany. I took the train to Munich, then from Munich to our old hometown. Of course there were a few complications on the way, we had to travel to smaller towns and avoid big cities. Anyway, once we reached Rothenburg, I remembered exactly where you used to live but of course someone else answered the door. I ran through the streets and bumped into Jean Kirstein. He somehow recognised me and invited me into his home. I asked him if he knew your whereabouts and thankfully he did, so, we took the train to Dachau and asked around for you.”

“You…really went to all that trouble?” the blonde seemed stunned to say the least and she tried desperately to hide how unworthy she felt.

Armin nodded sheepishly, “Yes, I could have easily died, but I wanted to see you so desperately before it really were too late. I couldn't wait around to see when or if the war would end. The liberation of Paris was my opening.”

“Armin, how does the war look to you? Is it really true what you say about the Fatherland?” Annie asked flatly after a longish pause and despite her nonchalant tone, Armin could see an underlying look of trepidation in her eyes.

“I…I personally don't think there is any hope. But I can't be sure.” Armin's mouth formed into a creased line and Annie nodded her head silently.

She still had a hard time believing in what he said, because it was the impossible. There was no way Germany was losing.

Armin's stomach flipped over uneasily, “Annie,” he hesitated and waited for her to turn to him, “Are you sure you want to come with me?” he questioned stupidly, knowing full well that she would not be there if she did not want to. However, he just couldn't shake the feeling that something was very off.

“Yes.” she whispered firmly, “I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier. You showing up after all these years, it was just so…unexpected. To say that I was shocked would be an understatement.”

“It makes me sad to think you had so little faith in me,” hurt swam in Armin's ocean blue eyes, and Annie suddenly felt her heart twist uncomfortably, “Though I admit, it's a bit unfair of me to accuse you. After all, over the years I was worried you might have forgotten about me, too.”

She said nothing at first, but then she looked down again, “What was I supposed to do, Armin? Sit around and wait for you to return? That wasn't something I was able to do.” she mumbled under her breath and a frown formed across her face.

“I understand,” Armin rushed out, “I know a lot has changed…”

“…” Annie remained quiet, unable to even look at him. She knew she was a disgrace, a terrible person who did not deserve Armin, or all the trouble he had gone through to see her once again.

“But not everything…” the blond male continued, “You still love me.”

She turned to him rather abruptly and for a split second her eyes widened, conveying her surprise at his choice of words. “You're a lot more outspoken than you used to be.” she said with a faint smile painted on her lips.

“Well, I became a man.” Armin almost mimicked what she had said earlier.

“Hm,” Annie nodded. She waited a while and they walked along in silence for another couple of minutes, but eventually she addressed him again, “You're right. I have always loved you and though many things have changed, I always hoped that one day I would be able to see you again, even if it seemed like a dream.”

The boy's heart fluttered at hearing her words. Yes, he had known it to be true, but hearing it from Annie's mouth made him feel so, so delighted. Yet, something still continued to eat away at his mind, and the unsettling feeling was starting to get on his nerves.

“Tell me, honestly, would you have shot them?” he suddenly blurted and watched Annie's face carefully. She didn't utter a word and Armin's heart contorted in disappointment, “Eren and Mikasa are so dear to me. Without them, I would never have been able to see you again. I can't think of what I'd do if something bad was to happen to either of them.”

Annie began to feel weighed down by her own guilt, but she said nothing. What was she to say?

“Annie, can you answer my question?” Armin prompted after she refused to speak. He was beginning to believe that it was best he didn't hear the answer.

“I don't know.” Annie responded curtly and the blond boy's heart dipped.

“Isn't it about time that as humans we all start treating each other as equals, don't you think? When cut, we bleed. So what if we come from different backgrounds? Our blood is all the same.”

Annie remained silent, because Armin's views were the complete opposite of what had been shoved down her throat for years. Not _everyone_ was the same. Not _everyone_ had the same blood.

“You should keep quiet about that.” Annie mumbled, because the last thing she wanted was for Armin to be killed, not after they were finally reunited, not after he had gone through hell to get here for _her_. She didn't know what she would do if he were ripped away from her again.

“I won't.” Armin did not waver as he spoke.

“Do you want to die?” Annie deadpanned and continued to conceal her emotions, “If men hear you say something along those lines, you'll be thrown into prison or killed.”

“So be it.”

“You've got guts.” Annie commented and Armin's face heated up ever so slightly at her compliment.

“I want you to feel the same way. I don't want you to have to pretend to believe in what these men say.”

Annie shook her head. His words were slowly starting to eat away at her but she knew she had to keep herself together.

“Even though it may be disgusting and weak, sometimes it's safer to go with the flow.” she said thoughtfully and her thin brows furrowed together.

Armin thought about her words. She had a point and he could understand where she was coming from, but at the same time, that kind of mentality just didn't sit well with him. In the end, he couldn't even respond and the silence dragged on once more, this time lasting for a much longer period of time.

“Where are we heading?” Mikasa questioned after what seemed like a while, the Asian was obviously curious to what the plan was. They had been walking for over an hour by this point.

“Munich.” Annie responded bluntly without even turning to face the taller woman.

“Why are we going to Munich? Is it not best we travel to smaller towns?” Mikasa's almond shape eyes narrowed slightly.

This time Annie turned back to address the Asian, “No. We can catch a train from Munich that will take us directly to the border.” she replied coolly, though there was a fire in her icy eyes.

“Munich is very dangerous. I will not go back there again.” Mikasa's eyes remained narrowed at the blonde in front of her and Annie glared back.

“Munich is where I am heading, you don't have to follow.” she replied dismissively.

“What about you, Armin?” Mikasa looked to her friend and Armin blinked.

“I think we should all stay together…” he responded uneasily. There was quite clearly tension between Annie and Mikasa, tension that Armin wasn't sure he could deal with at the present moment.

“Do you agree that going back to Munich is a good idea? You saw the state of the city.” Mikasa knew that Armin would agree with her on this, but whether or not he would voice that opinion was the question.

“It's dangerous, I know, but as long as we keep our guard up we should be fine. It's the quickest way to reach the border to safety, after all.”

Mikasa shook her head, “It is not just about getting caught. You must take into consideration that there are air raids on the city all the time.”

“There are air raids all over the country. We could be bombed right now.” Annie deadpanned.

“Munich is a major target, why the hell would you want to lead us through there?” Eren suddenly piped up, his turquoise eyes shimmering with distrust.

“As I said, you don't have to come.” She was calm and collected as she spoke, her facial expression impassive as ever.

“Want to speak up a bit? I can barely understand you with your Kraut accent.” Eren's snide remark barely seemed to irritate Annie at all, “Of course we're going to come. We're not leaving Armin behind.” he went on to say, and the blonde's heart wavered, “I would never leave him. I promised I'd stick by his side throughout this journey and it's not over yet.”

Annie remained silent and tried to ignore her nagging conscience.

“Is it really necessary we travel through Munich?” Armin addressed her several minutes later. Perhaps there was a way of deterring her from this idea.

“Yes, I'm sorry.” was Annie's quick response. She really was sorry, sorry that she had to do this to Armin, but it was her duty.

“That's alright. We will do whatever is necessary.” Armin replied and gave her a comforting smile. Annie had to force a smile onto her own face and struggled to keep it there. More silence lingered, until Armin spoke up again. “May I…May I hold your hand?” he requested suddenly and the teen's cheeks tinged red. He so desperately wanted to hold her and make some form of contact.

“If you wish,” Annie held out her hand for him and her face flushed pink. When Armin took hold of her hand he felt his heart throb, “It really has been a long time.” she added and another faint smile crept onto her face—this time, it was genuine.

“It feels so surreal,” Armin replied, “I never thought we would be able to hold hands like this again.”

Annie nodded, “It is true that I don't really believe there is a place for love in this shit world,” she paused briefly, “but maybe there is room for an exception.”

“I believe that there is good in this world, too. I remember what Mikasa said, she said that the world is very cruel but beautiful and I can only agree with her.”

“I haven't seen anything good in a long time, Armin.” Annie replied and closed her eyes.

“I'm sorry.”

The blonde girl re-opened her eyes, “You needn't be.”

“Things will only get better from now, I promise. Together we can run away from it all, you, me, Eren and Mikasa. We will find happiness, and when the war is finally over we will all be granted peace.”

The blonde swallowed the guilt that was caught in her throat and her eyes flickered closed. She couldn't speak, she couldn't agree and she started to feel sick.

“Are you okay?” Armin asked worriedly, noticing she was clearly uncomfortable.

“I'm fine.”

“You don't look—”

“I'm fine, Armin. I'm just tired and we have a long walk ahead.” Annie opened her eyes again but was unable to maintain eye-contact with him. It was then that Armin realised that his suspicions were probably correct and that something was definitely very wrong.

 _Why is she still avoiding eye-contact? Does she not trust me? Is she hiding something?_ As these thoughts crossed his mind, he couldn't help but think that the latter was most likely. After all, if she did not trust him, she wouldn't have left with him.

“I think we should have a break, let's stop…” he suggested, but Annie immediately refused.

“We can't.”

The blond came to a sudden halt and Annie swirled around, “You don't look well, Annie…we can stop for a little while. It won't do any harm.”

“ _Yes_ , it will. Let's keep moving.” she tightened her grip on his hand and tried to pull him along, but Armin refused to budge.

“What's going on?” Eren asked, curious as to why they had suddenly stopped.

“Annie doesn't feel very well, and I need to have a word with her.” Armin spoke hurriedly and the brunet raised his brows.

“We really should keep moving.” Mikasa announced matter-of-factly and though Armin knew it to be true, he still persisted they stop.

“Give me five minutes.” Armin locked eyes with the Asian and she nodded in understanding.

A scowl appeared on the blonde girl's face, but before she could protest any further, Armin lead her away from his friends and stopped behind a tree in the hope of some privacy. When they were out of sight, both the darker haired teens turned to one another.

“What do you think is going on?” Eren muttered, well out of earshot of either of the two blondes.

“Maybe she is having second thoughts about running away.” Mikasa suggested.

“Do you think?” Eren stepped closer to the darker haired girl.

“I cannot be sure.” Mikasa suddenly turned to the brunet and their eyes met, the boy could see a look of concern etched onto her face as she spoke, “Eren, I do not trust her, I want you to stay closely by my side. I don't want something bad to happen to you.” The Asian girl brought one of Eren's hands into her own and clasped it, “I care about you deeply and I do not think I could forgive myself if something terrible were to happen to you.”

Eren looked down to Mikasa's hand and felt his face heat up ever so slightly. When he looked back up to her he noticed that there was a faint redness scattered across her own cheeks. Mikasa's grey eyes were full of emotion and he didn't think he could lash out at her when she was looking at him like that. He _wanted_ to tell her he didn't need to be looked after, he wanted to tear his hand away from her, but he couldn't and he found himself completely mesmerised. It was not the first time he had felt that way, either. He remembered quite clearly the time when she tended to his wounds after he had saved her, and they had stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like forever. Eren hadn't really thought too much about it, but he became conscious of the fact that Mikasa was extremely alluring. She was a beautiful person inside and out, and despite the fact she was clearly quite distressed, there was something very calming about her.

In the end, Eren simply nodded his head, “I don't want anything bad to happen to you either.” he mumbled and broke eye-contact. Realising his own feelings—feelings that were completely alien to him, was very strange. He had honestly never felt that way about another person before.

Mikasa did not let go of Eren's hand and she continued to hold onto it while they waited for Armin and Annie to return.

* * *

Annie found herself with her back lightly pressed up against the trunk of the tree. Armin stood in front of her, so close that she could smell his scent and feel the tickle of his breath as he breathed; he was anxious, that much Annie could tell because the pace of his breathing was faster than usual. She was still averting her gaze and her eyes settled on his chin, just slightly below his lips.

Without looking into his eyes, she took him in and it finally hit her how much he had changed. Perhaps he was not quite a man yet, his features still rather boyish, but he towered over her now. He was indeed very handsome, and he was extremely smart, but that wasn't new. The boy released her hand and she could feel his darker blue eyes boring into her, analysing and judging.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes landing on his chest.

“I know something is wrong.” he stated firmly.

“Why do you get that impression, Armin?” her cold blue eyes remained on his chest as she spoke.

“I have a hunch.”

“We're wasting time.”

“You can't even look me in the eye, Annie.”

Annie sighed and her eyes trailed upwards, but only to his neck. She swallowed deeply at that point.

“Why can't you look at me?” his voice sounded so exasperated and Annie could picture in her mind how pained his facial expression must be.

There was a moment where she said and did nothing and she could feel his eyes penetrating deeper and deeper. He was suspicious.

Annie let out a shaky breath and finally locked eyes with him. Her facial expression was blank, but he could see in her eyes that she was hiding something. He just wasn't sure what. His brows furrowed together in a frustrated frown as their eyes remained fixed. A cool night's breeze suddenly swept by, causing Annie's blonde locks to fly about and obscure parts of her face. Yet the eye-contact was not broken and the girl could feel her heart thumping. She knew Armin was waiting for an answer. Some kind of excuse lingered on the tip of her tongue, but she quickly swallowed the words back down again. She wouldn't give him any form of an answer.

As the surrounding air became heavy with apprehension, Annie faltered and her eyes glanced to his cheeks, his nose, his lips, his neck and chest, then back up to his lips once more where they finally settled. Her heart was palpitating, and in a sudden rush of emotion she reached her hand to the back of his neck and brought him towards her. Annie's lips met with his in a matter of seconds and she started to place soft, light kisses on his bottom lip.

Armin's face immediately flooded red and for a moment or two he was too stunned to return the kiss. However, when she pulled on his bottom lip and nipped with her teeth, the message became very clear and he kissed her back with years' worth of love and passion. While they kissed, her hand remained on the back of his neck and her fingers clasped at his hair, his own hands found their way to the small of her back. By this point, the boy's heart was beating wildly and his thoughts were scattered all over the place. Armin had waited seven years for this and he wanted more of her, because he had to make up for lost time. In his need, he gingerly dipped his tongue into her mouth and in response she thrust hers into his own. The boy almost let out a sound, but somehow managed to refrain. The kiss became even more forceful and in stark contrast to how it was only several minutes ago, the air was becoming very heated and he could barely think coherently at all.

Somewhere in the far back of his mind, Armin knew that he must pull away, because Annie was still being untruthful and he had to get to the bottom of it. Gradually, the kiss became weaker and sensing that Armin was no longer enjoying it, Annie stopped and parted from him.

She said nothing and stared up at his red face, he was still rather flushed and her own cheeks were a healthy pinkish colour, too. She really didn't know what to say, nor did she particularly want to say anything anyway. After nothing was said by either of them, Annie pushed passed him and walked away.

“W-wait,” he called out after her but she continued on towards Eren and Mikasa.

When he caught up with them, Annie spoke up, “We should find somewhere to stay for tonight and then tomorrow head to Munich.”

“What, why?” Eren questioned, wondering why there was a sudden change of plan. The girl had been so adamant about going to the city immediately, so that they could all leave the country as soon as possible.

“Because I do not feel very well and you were both right,” the blonde paused and brushed a piece of her hair to the side, “It is not safe to travel to Munich, at least not in the night. My idea is that we find somewhere in-between here and the city and stay there for another night to ensure that we are completely rested. Then head for Munich the following day, during daytime hours.”

Annie only hoped that this idea of hers would sit well with them. It had dawned on her that Reiner and Bertolt would not be meeting her in Munich until the following day, and since Eren and Mikasa were so against going near Munich, there was no way they would want to stick around for _another_ day. She also thought the idea would put Armin's mind to rest, she could play sick and use that as an excuse to why she had been acting off. Of course, this was all down to her own failure, for not being able to hide her overwhelming guilt and not only that, but because Armin's sense of intuition was stronger than anyone she had ever met, and his ability to read her was just too damn good, it was almost dangerous.

“I must admit, you don't look all that good.” Eren admitted, mistaking her flushed face for being unwell.

“I can agree with this idea.” Mikasa was still deeply mistrusting of the blonde girl but she kept this to herself and turned to Armin, “I suppose this is what you were discussing and you agree as well?” she asked, and Armin had to swallow a lump in his throat.

He nodded his head slowly and looked down to the small blonde who was not even facing him. His stomach flipped over uneasily as he thought of reasons to why Annie had so suddenly changed her mind. Although he was able to read her remarkably well, she was still somewhat of an enigma.

It was midnight before they found a small town and a place to stay. The blond was relieved that the owner had been kind enough to accept them at such a late hour, because he did not believe they would have such luck. As Armin lay in bed hours later, he could still taste her lingering on his lips and in his mouth and the memory of her kiss caused his heart to pulsate. However, his mind was not at rest and the boy started to think about Annie, and he couldn't help but wonder to himself, was Annie really the girl he thought she was? Was she _really_ a good person? He knew that the term 'good person' did not have a very narrow definition, and although maybe she was trying to be a good person for him because she loved him, perhaps whatever she was hiding from him would reveal otherwise. The fact that Annie couldn't even give him a straight answer when he asked her if she would have shot his friends did not bode well with him, either. In the end, the boy only hoped he was being paranoid, but his intuition was rarely wrong and his previous feeling of deep trust for her was slowly starting to crumble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter is dialogue...I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Anyway, I hope everyone liked it. The story is now completely on its way and as you can see, Annie is a freaking mess (its really fun writing her in a situation like this). Also, initially I wasn't even going to have Armin and Annie kiss _yet_ but then it just kind of happened (hopefully it was appreciated!)


	16. Chapter 16

**September, 1944**

Mellow rays of light shone through the window, signalling the break of dawn. Annie's eyes cracked open once more, this time in frustration. She had just started to doze off but sighed realising her time was up. She wouldn't be sleeping at all. Reluctantly, she sat up and ran a hand through her hair that stuck up here there and everywhere, due to tossing and turning for much of the night. She hadn't been able to sleep a wink, not with all that had happened. How could she? She had so much clouding her mind. Especially since doubt had slowly started to creep up on her and that, coupled with the guilt she had begun to feel was destined to cause a sleepless night.

The girl continued to lie there, not finding energy to get up even though she would have to eventually. She closed her eyes again and thought back on the heart fluttering night, wondering if any of it was real. The boy she had been pining over for years, the one she had never been able to truly forget no matter how hard she tried, had returned.

 _It would have been easier,_ she thought to herself, _if he had been alone._

But nothing was ever simple or easy in life. It was true that Annie knew the core of the regime was bad, but it was inevitably going to win. Her heart lacked faith in its failure and she was still devoted to it. After all, what had there been after Armin left? His absence left a gaping hole in her life and her father and the regime had filled that place. She supposed she had fallen into darkness and a part of that darkness still lingered within her.

 _I will end up hurting him._ Annie swallowed a lump in her throat and scrunched her eyes tighter together. _I really wish it hadn't come to this._

Eventually, she brought herself to get out of bed and washed and dressed in attempt at making herself look slightly more presentable, however there was no hiding the deep, dark lines beneath her eyes that made her look almost ill. As she made her way down the stairs very slowly and quietly, it soon became apparent that Armin and his friends were already up and were sitting together at the kitchen table. Annie briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She approached the entrance to the kitchen, and hovered behind the door frame, hesitating before going in. She watched the three of them intently and her heart began to weigh heavy in her chest. They looked like a family. It was at that moment that Annie had the strong urge to leave, to get out and never return, to run back to her father where she belonged. But then she caught sight of one of Armin's smiles and her heartrate suddenly spiked. She had such a strong attraction to the blond. It almost scared her how her feelings had remained so strong over the years. His smile was like sunshine, so radiant and warm and Annie knew exactly where her weakness lay, it was Armin Arlert.

Her heart was still thumping as she fled the scene and practically ran back up the stairs. She couldn't face them, _him_. Not knowing that the two would probably be dead tomorrow and it would be all down to her. She would have blood on her hands.

_But that is what war is all about, isn't it?_

Once back upstairs in the room provided, it wasn't long before Annie heard a knock on the door and Armin stepped inside.

“Hey,” he spoke quietly and Annie turned to him almost reluctantly, “May I come in?”

Annie nodded and replied with a “Good morning.”

Armin slowly entered the room and sat down on the very edge of the bed where Annie was lying, as he took a seat she sat up. “I thought you might have wanted to come down and have some breakfast with us.” Armin said after a few moments of awkward silence. As he looked at the pale girl's face, he noticed the dark rings beneath her eyes and it became evident that she had not slept very well, but he didn't want to comment on it. He wondered if whatever she had been hiding from him was responsible for keeping her awake.

“I'm not very hungry.” she responded smoothly, “Don't worry about me.”

“Don't you want to come and meet Eren and Mikasa? This is a perfect chance to get to know them better and for them to get to know you, too.”

“I doubt they want to get to know me too well.” Annie mumbled and her stomach started flipping over.

“Of course they do, they've already heard a lot about you from me but it's nothing like actually speaking to the person.”

Annie didn't respond for a moment or two, but when she spoke again she looked Armin in the eye, “Don't you think _we_ ought to get to know each other better?” she asked, and for some reason her words seemed so sharp. Armin's heart missed a beat and he swallowed before answering,

“H-how do you mean?” although, he _knew_ exactly what she meant.

“A lot of time has passed since we last met.”

“I don't feel like we've become strangers, not really. I still know you, Annie Leonhart.” Armin's face did not waver in confidence as he spoke, but somewhere inside he doubted himself.

“I mean our lives. There's so much I don't know about you…What happened to your family?” Annie questioned and Armin frowned.

“Well,” he began, “My mother died not long after I moved to England, she was very ill. We had an amazing doctor, who happened to be Eren's father, but in the end he wasn't able to save her. I became close friends with Eren after that ordeal. Shortly after my mother's death, my father travelled to Africa and never returned. Then later, my grandfather passed. I'm lucky I've always had Eren through it all and of course the thought of being reunited with you also kept me going. Being German and living in wartime Britain was not exactly a pleasant experience…”

“I see,” Annie paused for a second, “I'm sorry.” Armin moved closer to her.

“There's no need for you to be sorry. Now tell me about you.”

Annie's light blue eyes widened briefly. She didn't really feel like talking about her life to Armin but at the same time, she felt like he had a right to know.

“I have been living under my father's thumb all these years.” she started, “I dedicated myself to the Führer and the Fatherland because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. It's not like I had much choice anyway,” Armin frowned and Annie continued, “Up until the age of seventeen I attended the Bund Deutscher Mӓdel (League of German Girls). When I turned seventeen years old, I was sent away to Reichsschule für SS Helferinnen (Kingdom School of SS Helpers) in Oberehnheim. There, I passed a rigorous selection progress which involved fitness, ideology, specialist communications and mother schooling. Father had trained me well prior, so it wasn't too hard. If anything, it was refreshing being away from him. When I returned, I was given a role within the SS-Helfrinnen-corps (SS Women's Corps) as an SS Helfrinnen (SS Assistant) and worked alongside my father.”

“Are you glad you are finally free of your father and your obligations to the country and its leader?” Armin asked cautiously and was careful to analyse Annie's facial expression and tone as she answered.

“…Yes.” Annie's slight hesitation unsettled him. “It's easy to get swept along with the flow of things. There's a difference between fully supporting something and going with it out of fear.” Annie thought deeply about her own words for a moment, “What I am saying is, although it is bad, it takes someone who is very bold and brave to go up against it…”

“I believe you are very bold and brave. You have always been a lionhearted girl.” Armin smiled and Annie felt as if her heart had literally melted.

“You really shouldn't think so highly of me. I think you're the one with the guts here, anyway. You travelled across a continent at war to reach me and you made it alive.”

Armin let out a soft chuckle, “As I said, I would never have made it without my friends, especially Mikasa, who we met along the way. She took us in and offered us a great deal of help when we so desperately needed it. It's a funny story though because our first meeting did not exactly go as you would expect. In fact she attacked us and robbed us,” Armin paused briefly and smiled at the absurd look plastered across Annie's face, “Mikasa has had a raw deal in life, she had to resort to stealing in order to survive. She stumbled into trouble, and it just so happened that Eren and I turned up at the right moment. After that incident she vowed to stay by our side and help me find you.”

Annie downcast her view and started to feel uncomfortable, her own guilt was beginning to eat away at her, suffocating her.

Armin was tempted to place a hand over Annie's but refrained, “Annie, I want us to be completely honest. We both love each other, right? So there is no need to hide anything.”

Annie's blue eyes met with his darker blue and she nodded once but did not say a word. After several moments, she looked back down again.

“Hey, Annie,” Armin's voice broke the silence that had fallen upon the couple and the young woman's head shot up, however her eyes did not meet with his this time, “I have a question.”

Annie's mouth suddenly turned very stiff but she managed to respond, “Go ahead.”

“Please forgive me for asking, b-but, have you kissed many men?” there was a faint redness present on Armin's face.

Surprise flashed across the girl's face, followed by a tiny smile, however Annie held a serious look in her eyes, “No, there has been no-one.”

“Really?” the blond boy raised an eyebrow.

The smallest of smiles remained on her face and she nodded, “Why would I lie? If you're wondering about last night's kiss, I've read a few romance novels.” Armin's eyebrows remained raised and Annie huffed, “Just because I appear to be a tough woman doesn't mean I can't enjoy fictional romance.”

“I…I just didn't peg you as that type of woman, after all, you said that there is no place for romance in this world.”

“Maybe there's not, but as I said, it's only fiction.” Annie shrugged, “I take it you enjoyed the kiss last night, then?” she practically smirked at the boy whose face had flushed bright red and her own heart was pounding quite vigorously, too.

“Yes,” Armin nodded his head quickly, “Very much so.”

The blonde moved in closer to him, as if she were about to kiss him again. Armin closed his eyes in anticipation but something stopped her right before her lips came into contact with his. Another attack of the conscience, which made her feel completely unworthy of even touching him.

“I'm sorry.” Annie suddenly said. Armin's eyes re-opened and he blinked in confusion. “I will meet you downstairs soon.”

“Are you okay?” his expression was full of concern and his tone sounded worried.

“Yes.” her crystal blue eyes fell from his and landed on the bed sheets.

“If you are sure…” Armin sighed and stood from the bed.

“As I said, I will be down soon.” Annie tried to maintain some composure to assure him, but Armin wasn't able to hide the troubled look on his face.

As he left the room, many thoughts span around in his head.

_Something is clearly bothering her…if only she would be more open about whatever it is. It makes me sad, but I can't even fully trust her, knowing that she might be concealing the truth from me…_

* * *

“So how is your Nazi girlfriend this morning?” Eren sneered and Armin sighed.

“She will be joining us soon.” was all the blond said as he sat down beside Mikasa.

“You do not have to be so rude, Eren.” Mikasa muttered to the boy opposite her, noticing that Armin was clearly feeling somewhat hurt by Eren's scornfulness.

The brunet simply shrugged but said nothing more. The three continued to eat, it was the first time they had had a proper meal in days after all.

“Where's our host?” Armin wondered out loud after a while.

“She went outside to do some gardening.” Mikasa responded matter-of-factly.

“Wow, this early in the morning?”

“Well, the sun is out today.” Eren commented, and Armin turned his head to look out of the window.

The sun was indeed shining more brightly than it had in a while. The warm rays that shone through the glass window were pleasant and left the boy feeling oddly tranquil, considering the circumstances.

“I will miss this weather once winter arrives.” Armin said quietly and continued to stare out the window at the beautiful garden.

“I hope we will be out of the country before it does.” Mikasa spoke up, “I have been on the streets when it was cold and all I can say is that it was truly awful.”

“I can't even begin to imagine.” Armin mumbled in response.

“Don't fret too much Mikasa, at least you'll have my scarf to keep you warm.” Eren half joked, “But besides, we have plenty time to escape this hell hole, right?”

“I hope the war will be over before winter, but unfortunately I think that's more of a dream than a reality.” Armin mentioned.

“Yes, I do not think it will come to an end just yet.” Mikasa nodded, “The Germans will be sure to put up a fight.”

“Those bastards will fall down one by one, just like toy soldiers.” Eren clenched his fists.

“Now is really not the time to say something like that.” Mikasa hushed the boy while Armin's eyes darted nervously in search for their host. Instead, his eyes met a pair of harsh blue ones.

Annie had finally made an appearance and to the trio's utter surprise, plopped her suitcase on top of the table.

“We're leaving.” she announced bluntly and Armin blinked.

“What? I thought—” he began but was cut off,

“I changed my mind. We should head to Munich now.”

“Why?” Mikasa's tone remained flat and her grey eyes locked with Annie's. Although sceptical of the smaller woman, she did not want it to become obvious. Annie's blank expression gave no indicator to what was going on in her mind, however the gut feeling Mikasa had about the girl told her to keep looking for any trace that suggested Annie was up to no good.

“There is little point in wasting any more time.” Annie's eyes remained fixed on Mikasa's as she gave her answer.

There was silence for a moment while the Asian and blonde just stared at each other almost intensely.

_I'm a weak fool who is giving you a chance, do as I say and you live. Go against me and you die._

Annie's unspoken thoughts whirled around inside of her head and as the silence continued to linger she started to feel very hot and bothered. Small droplets of sweat began to form at the top of her forehead but thankfully, her bangs hid them for the time being.

“I agree with Annie.” Eren was the first to speak, and his words surprised all three of them.

“You believe it is a good idea we leave right away?” Mikasa asked, finally turning away from the other female.

“Well, why stay here longer than necessary? Rest is for the weak. What do you say, Armin?”

“Uh,” Armin croaked, “Well, I don't see why not.” The blond turned to Annie and watched her, wondering what was going on in her mind. When he caught her eye he gave her a half-hearted smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

“When my father discovers I am missing, he will come looking for me. We need to get out of here as soon as possible.” she added, knowing it was true. Her father would without a doubt come looking for her, but he wasn't the main concern at the present moment. The main problem she faced was Reiner and Bertolt, who Annie was certain had found her letter by now and would be all set to go through with her initial plan: betraying Armin's friends and thus, betraying Armin at the same time.

That was something she just couldn't do. Not after seeing the three at breakfast together, not after learning how close they all were. She couldn't hurt Armin like that; she wouldn't be responsible for tearing them apart. That was exactly the kind of cruel act her father had done many years ago to them both, and to be like her father was the last thing she wanted. She may not be a good person, but maybe she could truly be a good person to Armin and his friends. Sure, in return, Annie was betraying Reiner and Bertolt instead. The two people she had never really called 'friends' but had still been close, perhaps they were more than acquaintances, but she had never accepted that fact. She had trusted them and vice versa. Of course she was also betraying her father, not that she cared. That man was dead to her and she mentally cursed herself for being so foolish and not even considering he'd pull a stunt like that and hide the letters from her. The most dangerous betrayal however was that of her country and the Führer. She was foolish, but she chose to be a fool, and in her opinion that made it slightly better.

“When you put it like that, we are just sitting ducks. I would rather not be on the run for too long with a runaway daughter of an SS soldier, either.” Mikasa placed her cup of water down and stood from the table, “I will go and get my belongings.”

Annie's eyes trailed down to the wooden table and shortly after Mikasa left the room, Eren followed with the same excuse. Armin continued to watch the blonde and he wasn't sure what to think. He _knew_ she was not speaking her mind but he really didn't want to pry any more than he already had. Before he went upstairs to fetch his own case, he approached her and took hold of her arm. She looked absolutely exhausted and he couldn't help but feel concerned about her.

“Are you sure you are alright, Annie?” he questioned one more time.

The young woman nodded and stood on her tiptoes to reach up and place a chaste kiss on Armin's cheek, “Go get your things.”

Heat immediately pooled onto Armin's cheeks, forming a warm blush across his face and he did as she instructed. When the trio finished packing the very few belongings they owned, they met back downstairs and bid farewell to their host. As the four walked towards Munich, a lot weighed on Annie's mind. She knew that there was no looking back now. She either sided with her country, the Führer and her father, or she sided with Armin. Being the intelligent girl that she was, she realised very quickly she couldn't have both: either way, someone would be betrayed. In the end, she went with her heart over her head.

* * *

The walk to Munich was around an hour or so from the smaller village they had stopped at the previous night. At first nobody said much at all, but as time went by the four started to converse more. Annie remained relatively quiet, only answering when she was directly spoken to and staying by Armin's side. Having not slept at all during the night was beginning to take its toll and wear her down. The dark lines underneath her eyes were becoming even more prominent.

Although neither Eren nor Mikasa could say they fully trusted Annie Leonhart, they were definitely slowly starting to warm up to her. She was most certainly not the girl they had pictured Armin to be in love with, but they could see that Annie really did care for the boy, by the way she looked and spoke with him, and that made them both feel slightly more at ease with her.

It was an hour and a half before they reached the city. The damage was even more catastrophic than a couple days ago and the vast majority of the city lay in complete ruins. St Peter's Church was still standing, though. Annie knew that Reiner and Bertolt would be there later on that night, only to find that she was gone and they had been stabbed in the back. The blonde tried her best to push that thought to the back of her mind and focussed on getting to the station. As the four teens approached the part of the city where the station was they could see that the extent of the damage was getting worse and worse. Armin felt his stomach flip over uneasily, he was starting to get a really bad feeling about all of this.

“Look around, this is the power of the Allied forces.” Eren mumbled mostly in Annie's direction.

The blonde simply chose to ignore him but she couldn't ignore the horrific damage that had been afflicted on the city. It briefly flashed across her mind that perhaps the Allies were a lot stronger than she had previously given them credit for.

Armin's stomach continued to churn over and panic started to swarm him as they approached the station. He turned to Mikasa, who remained relatively composed but he noticed a look of apprehension in her almond shaped eyes. Both knew what was to come, and as they got closer their fears were confirmed. When the four teens set eyes on the state of the station they could see it was obviously closed. It had been bombed and quite significantly so, no trains were operating in or out of the station and the tracks had been visibly torn up.

“Damn it,” Armin cursed.

“What are we going to do now?” Eren frowned.

“We walk.” two female voices spoke simultaneously. Annie and Mikasa turned to each other and their eyes met for a couple of seconds, both somewhat surprised that they were on the same chain of thought and happy for their mutual agreement.

“That's almost two hundred kilometres!” the blond boy exclaimed, thinking it was impossible to walk that far without something going wrong along the way.

“We do not have much choice.” Mikasa's brows furrowed together, “If we leave now we should be able to reach the border within a couple of days.”

Armin turned to Annie, “Mikasa is right.” the blonde said rather nonchalantly. This was far from the kind of situation Annie wanted to find herself in. In fact, this was a disaster but she knew she had to remain calm.

“We could find another station?” Eren suggested.

The Asian shook her head, “No, that would be time wasting. We could travel to another town only to find that the station there could also be damaged. We may as well walk from here.”

“Alright then, we had better get going.” the brunet replied.

Annie looked to the blond teen, it was clear that he did not seem all that keen on their improvised plan. More guilt weighed down on her, “I'm sorry, Armin.” she muttered to him.

“It's not your fault the train station was bombed.” he rushed out.

“No but, perhaps if we had reached the station quicker things may have been different.”

“Don't be so hard on yourself,” he responded and took hold of her hand, “Let's just try and put our best foot forward from now on.” he squeezed her hand and smiled down at her so sweetly.

Armin Arlert had made her weak, Annie knew that. For once in her life, her heart had more control over her actions than her head. She knew that all she was able to do now was be the best person she could be for the boy she loved. There was no turning back now.

 _I'm stupidly going against the flow,_ she thought, _and I know I am foolish for thinking this way, but maybe fate will be kind to us for once._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted this chapter to primarily focus on Annie and what's going on in her mind. So I hope her personality became a little clearer, even though she's complicated. Maybe some of you might not have imagined Annie to be the type of girl to read romance novels, but I kind of wanted to portray her as a normal girl on the inside? Like how in the anime it is obvious that Annie is constantly hiding behind some kind of mask but underneath it all she's just a normal teenage girl. Anyways, I hope this chapter wasn't too boring for you...in the next chapter some more characters will be introduced!
> 
> So stay tuned & thank you for all your reviews and support.


	17. Chapter 17

**September, 1944**

“We can stop and rest if you would like.” Armin offered to the girl beside him. They had been walking foralmost two and a half hours straight and Annie looked very weary, “I know you didn't get much sleep last night.” he added.

“No, we'll continue.” she replied quickly, not wanting to put Armin and his friends in anymore danger than she already had.

“Are you sure?” Armin raised his thick brows and Annie frowned,

“I'm much stronger than I look.” the blonde girl replied, “I'm happy to go on. You should stop worrying about me.” Though she wouldn't make it vocal, the girl found Armin's caring ways to be very endearing. She remembered him being that way even in their childhood days, and she felt a light flutter in her stomach, content knowing the boy hadn't changed that much over the years.

“You say you're a lot stronger than you look?” Eren interjected and Annie raised an eyebrow.

“I could flip you onto your back in one simple move.” the blonde deadpanned.

“Yeah, right,” Eren scoffed with a cocky grin, “I'd like to see you try. You're tiny.”

 _Big mistake,_ Armin thought, _Annie's height has always been very deceiving._

Eren's attitude had obviously ignited something within the blonde, “Come at me.” she stopped dead in her tracks and the trio turned to her, her face was expressionless, however a dangerous look flashed in her eyes.

“What?” her request wiped the smirk right off of Eren's face. He couldn't quite believe what he had heard.

“I said,” the blonde paused and a sigh escaped her mouth as if she was almost bored, “Come at me.”

“Annie—” Armin began but it was clear she wasn't listening—her harsh blue eyes were set on his friend.

“Only last night I stood for everything you despise.” her monotone and heavy accent served only to irritate the darker haired male further.

“I don't want to hurt a girl,” Eren muttered almost under his breath and his eyebrows knitted together, forming a deep frown.

“Are you forgetting that I pointed a gun at you and Mikasa last night?” Annie's face remained completely calm, “In fact,” she paused again to take a breath and icy blue eyes locked with angry turquoise, “I'm still not convinced Germany will lose the war, even though my heart is no longer dedicated to it.”

Her words only fuelled the fire brewing inside of the boy. Within moments, Eren's blood was aflame and his face had scrunched into an unattractive grimace.

“ _Eren_ —” Mikasa called out,

“D-don't—”Armin rushed, but it was too late. He had fallen straight into Annie's trap.

It was all over before it began. The next thing Eren knew, he was lying on his back with his legs up in the air and there was an uncomfortable, harsh pain shooting up his spine from the impact.

“What…What was that?” the brunet managed to stutter out. Annie's swift move had sent him crashing to the earth in seconds and his brain was only just registering what had happened. Armin only winced, feeling pity for his friend while Mikasa's body seemed to tense up as if she was turning suddenly defensive.

“I told you.” Annie huffed and as she walked away, a tiny, unseen smirk played on her lips.

Armin swallowed and stared at her in complete admiration as she walked off. The boy could feel his heart pick up pace, and it knocked fiercely against the confines of his chest. Something about the way Annie Leonhart moved was so strong yet very graceful, Armin even noticed how not even one single strand of her blonde locks had fallen out of place as she sent Eren to the ground. When the boy came back to his senses, he reached out a hand for his friend and helped him to his feet.

“I want her to teach me how to do that.” Eren mumbled as he dusted himself off.

Mikasa frowned, “She will only end up hurting you again.”

The boy sighed and his cheeks tinged red in embarrassment, “I underestimated her, next time I won't be so foolish.”

“I should have warned you.” Armin had to refrain from chuckling.

“Hmph.” was the only sound that came out of Eren's mouth in response.

“Come on, let's go.” Mikasa prompted and went after the smaller female. Both boys nodded and followed, eventually catching up with Annie who hadn't slowed down for anyone.

The four teens continued to walk towards the German-Swiss border for what seemed like another three hours. By this point, they were deep in the Bavarian countryside and very few people could be seen. They were surrounded by fields, trees, mountains and flowers. There were no footpaths, so they walked through the long grass that swayed ever so slightly with the wind. Armin took in the scenery, and he realised that there were very few things in the world that were more beautiful than his homeland. With Annie in front, it suddenly crossed his mind how familiar the situation was, _walking through fields like this reminds me so much of our childhood,_ he thought, feeling somewhat nostalgic. And although the various kinds of flowers that scattered the fields were very beautiful, they were no match for her beauty. The boy continued to trail slightly behind her and stared at her back, watching as her skirt flowed around her legs in the breeze.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mikasa watched the blond boy and smiled, _he really loves her,_ she thought. It made her glad to think he had his chance of a happy ending, even if she did find Annie to be rather odd and not someone she could fully trust, _yet_.

* * *

“Whereabouts are we at?” Eren questioned after another hour or so passed. It was late into the afternoon, and dark clouds had started to form a shadow over the fields.

Armin looked down to the map in his hands, and the smaller blonde peeked over his shoulder to take a look as well, “Still too far,” she muttered vaguely with a hint of irritation present in her tone.

“Well, we are going to need to rest soon either way.” Armin spoke, and Annie shook her head.

“Armin is right. We have been walking for hours now. It is not good for us to exhaust ourselves; you never know what kind of trouble we may face and it is best we are at our full strength if it comes to that.”

“Yeah, and my feet are starting to ache.” Eren complained.

“Mine too,” a half-hearted laugh left Armin's mouth.

“I didn't realise you were in pain.” Annie spoke quietly to the boy beside her, suddenly feeling guilty.

“It's not an awful lot of pain, but I'm not the fittest person, nor am I used to walking for such a long time.” Armin said bashfully, he then looked down to Annie and noticed how her hands were trembling, “But, I think you need the rest more than I do…” a look of concern spread across his face.

Annie knew Armin was right. She needed rest, and desperately. Her heart was pounding vigorously, and the very last amount of energy she had left was put into keeping her standing on her two feet.

_I don't want to slow them down, not after I've put them into this amount of danger. We can't stop yet._

“I…” her voice trailed off, she had met her limit. Annie's eyes clouded over with darkness and she felt lightheaded. Before she could utter another word, she collapsed.

“Annie!” Armin called out worriedly and dropped his trunk in a rush to catch the girl in his arms before she met the ground, “Annie!” he repeated her name, this time louder in his panic, but she was out cold.

“Jesus Christ!” Eren hurried over to Armin, “Is she alright?”

“It appears like she has collapsed from exhaustion.” Mikasa clarified and Armin's wide blue eyes met the Asian's grey.

“What do we do?” he looked down at Annie's pale face, his heart thumping in fear. He knew she had been over exerting herself. She was tough, but there was only so much strain the human body was able to withstand. The boy also had to take into consideration all that had happened in the last day or so, Annie had had a lot to contemplate, which would have worn her down mentally as well as physically.

“We will have to stop for now,” Mikasa replied calmly and Armin nodded in agreement. Annie needed rest, they couldn't go on.

The boy set her down and rested her back carefully against the trunk of a nearby tree, Armin knelt down beside her and very gently ran the back of his hand over her cheek, “You were always stubborn.” he muttered softly.

“Entschluldigen Sie, (Excuse me)” a soft voice suddenly spoke out of nowhere, derailing Armin's thoughts entirely and almost making him jump. He turned his attention to over his shoulder and stood when he saw a very small young woman standing a short distance away, clutching the handles of a wooden pail with both hands. She was doll-like, with fair hair brushing past her shoulders, large blue eyes and plumptious pink lips, “Ich war nur im Vorübergehen und habe bemerkt, dass vier von euch irgendwohin gehen, (I was just passing by and I noticed the four of you are heading somewhere,)” she spoke again, her voice sweet and childlike, yet there was something about her that told Armin she was older than she appeared. “Aber, dein Freund sieht sehr krank aus… (But, your friend looks very unwell…)” the girl continued, her eyes focussing on an unconscious Annie and a worried look washed over her beautiful features.

For a moment or two, Armin was speechless. The small girl approached the four of them, causing Mikasa and Eren to both turn their attention to her.

“Ich möchte helfen. (I want to help)” she added with a kind smile.

“T-thank you…” the blond teen's face immediately flushed red, realising his mistake, “Um, _danke_ schön” Armin corrected himself and bit his own tongue.

For a split second, the girl's eyes widened, most likely surprised to hear a foreign language in the depth of the countryside, “It is okay, I can speak English.” she replied back in a much less heavy German accent than Annie's and perhaps it was almost on par with Mikasa's.

“Why do you want to help us?” Eren suddenly questioned the small female, he seemed suspicious.

“When I see someone hurt or in trouble, I feel as though I should help them.” she replied and gave the boy a strange look, as if to say, _'wouldn't you feel the same way?'_

“How were you able understand her?” Mikasa suddenly turned to the darker haired boy, her eyes slightly wider in her confusion.

“I guess I am beginning to pick up a couple of words here and there,” Eren shrugged and turned his attention back to the girl, “What is your name?”

“I am Krista, Krista Lenz.” she paused briefly to set the bucket down which appeared to be filled to the brim with water, “What are all of your names?”

“I'm Armin,” the blond teen spoke up, introducing himself, “And this is Annie here.” he added.

“Eren.”

“Mikasa,” the Asian was the last to speak, “Is there a village nearby, Krista?” she questioned, wondering where the girl lived. She hadn't seen any people in what must have been an hour.

Krista nodded, “Yes, perhaps a thirty minute walk. I live in a house by an old barn,” the small girl picked up the pail of water and moved quickly towards Annie, as if wanting to avoid being asked anymore questions. She knelt down beside the girl and Armin sat on the other side. “Water might help.” she suggested.

“Pour the bucket of water over her head, that should wake her up.” Eren joked and the two blonds only frowned. Surprisingly, the usually calm-and-collected Mikasa just about managed to stifle a giggle, but was unable to hold back a silly lopsided grin that appeared on her face. She tried desperately to keep a straight face, but it was to no avail.

“What happened?” Krista addressed the male opposite her and ignored Eren, who was not being very helpful to say the least.

“We've been walking for hours, she hasn't eaten or slept in over a day, I think she has exhaustion…” Armin replied and cupped one of Annie's hands.

After observing their trunks, Krista let out a very quiet gasp at the realisation, “Are you heading towards the border?”

“…Ja.” was Armin's response. As nice as Krista seemed, he didn't want to go into too much detail about their situation.

Before Krista said anything more, a loud roar tore through the sky. The girl jumped, Eren and Mikasa ducked and placed their hands over their heads, and Armin peered up at the source of the noise. Above them were three relatively large aircraft. Panic suddenly overwhelmed the teen and his heart started to race.

“It's okay, they're ours.” Krista shouted to be heard over the noise, to calm everyone down.

Armin brought his attention back to Annie as she stirred, but did not regain full consciousness. The planes passed over quickly, and could only be faintly heard in the distance as they flew away.

“Fucking krauts scared the shit out of me,” Eren mumbled and brushed the dirt off of his clothes.

Krista swallowed a lump in her throat, “You're not from around here, are you?” she asked quietly.

“No, I'm bloody not. Don't tell me you're another Nazi.”

Krista quickly shook her head, her blonde locks swaying from side to side, “I'm…hiding.” she practically whispered and Armin's eyes widened.

Eren raised his eyebrows, “From?”

“Everything.” her voice shook ever so slightly and her face expressed her anxiety.

“I know how that feels.” Mikasa spoke gently in understanding.

Krista looked down to Annie again, “If you are heading for the border…you can stay with me until she has had some rest, I have a bed she can use.” the girl offered and Armin smiled.

“I would be so grateful,” Armin thanked Krista's act of kindness. It was strange how she had appeared out of nowhere and had come to Annie's rescue; the girl seemed like a goddess of some kind, especially since she was so willing to help four people whom she had just met. Armin believed that Krista just wanted to try and see the good in people, the same way he did.

“Hey…Krista.” an unfamiliar voice practically shouted, “Ich habe dir gesagt, dass du nicht mit Fremden reden sollst. (Oi…Krista. I told you not to talk to strangers.)” A tall, slender young woman with dark hair and a golden brown tan approached Krista. Her eyes were unique and intimidating, her nature vigilant. Freckles scattered across her cheeks, and the clothes that she wore did not look feminine in the slightest.

“Ymir!” the small blonde seemed surprised by the taller female's sudden appearance and stood up quickly, “They need help.” Krista rushed out.

“What's wrong with that girl there?” Ymir eyed Annie, and then turned to Armin suspiciously.

“She's suffering from exhaustion and desperately needs rest.”

Armin's mouth suddenly turned very dry, he wasn't sure who Ymir was, but she was clearly considerably more hostile than Krista.

“That's their problem.”

“But Ymir…I can't just leave them here like this. They said they are heading towards the border, what if something bad happens to them? It's not right to leave them in such a tired state.”

Ymir took hold of Krista's arm and pulled her away to speak with her in private. Only faint whispers could be heard by the trio, and they all wondered what was being said.

“You're too kind for your own good, you know that Historia?”

“I just can't turn a blind eye when someone is in trouble.” the blonde girl almost pouted in response.

Ymir sighed, “Did you tell them your real name?”

The blonde shook her head, “No, I'm not that foolish. It is too much of a risk.”

“Good.”

“Please can we help them?” the girl asked once more and blinked up at the taller female in such an adorable way that made her heart throb.

“If you were not so _cute_ ,” Ymir paused only to place a quick kiss on the petite girl's lips, “I would never agree to this.”

Historia giggled, “You're not such a selfish person after all,” she wrapped her arms tightly around the taller girl's waist and stuffed her face into her chest, “Thank you.” she murmured.

“I'm doing this for you and you only, remember that.” Ymir whispered back.

When the couple returned, Krista greeted them with good news, “You can all come back to our house and rest.”

“Once again, thank you so much Krista, danke sehr!” Armin exclaimed as a feeling of relief washed over him.

Krista only smiled back, until Eren piped up once again, “Aren't you going to introduce your friend to us?” his curious turquoise eyes focussed on the taller female with the dark hair.

Krista turned to look up at her and gave her a loving smile, “Oh, this is Ymir,” It was obvious to everyone except Eren that the two were in a relationship.

Instead of a polite exchange, Ymir's only words were not exactly the friendliest, “If any of you lot lay one finger on her, you're dead.” she wrapped a protective hand around the small girl's waist, which provoked a light blush to spread across the blonde's face.

“That is not our intention. All we need is a place to stay so that Annie can rest, then we will be on our way.” Mikasa spoke, her expression impassive and cool as ever.

“Right.” Ymir nodded, though she still seemed distrusting. Nobody was really offended by her attitude, considering the circumstances. Being apprehensive was completely understandable. A war was going on—it was wise to be cautious and feebleminded to pour trust into everyone.

“Armin, will you be able to carry her? Our home is about a ten minute walk from here.” Krista questioned, concern once again filled her features.

Armin nodded fiercely, “Y-yes, I should be able to.”

“I'll get your suitcase.” Eren offered, and without a word, Mikasa took Annie's.

“Thank you.” Armin nodded at his two friends and carefully took Annie into his arms.

* * *

Annie's eyes fluttered as Armin carried her up the stairs. By this point, the boy's breathing was ragged, his face red hot and his bangs were sticking to his forehead due to droplets of sweat that had been forming. Armin had started to feel the strain about half way into the walk and inwardly sighed, feeling as weak as ever.

He struggled and scrambled to get up the last couple of steps, cursing under his breath as he battled with the door handle after finally reaching the room Krista had instructed him to use.

“Armin…?” he heard Annie mutter, causing his heart to skip a beat as he set her on top of the bed.

“It's okay,” he replied soothingly, and took a seat beside her.

“Where am I?” her bright blue eyes darted to every corner of the room, she was clearly agitated.

“I'll explain later. For now, you just need to sleep.” Armin responded quietly and began to brush Annie's hair using his fingers in an attempt to get her to calm down. For some reason, just being this close and alone with her was causing his heart to hammer nervously against his chest.

“Sorry.” Annie could barely meet his eye. She felt stupid and ashamed, “I should have listened to you. You're the one with the brains. I've only passed out once before, when father pushed me too hard during training.”

“I find your stubbornness endearing,” Armin grinned, “Don't beat yourself up over it. Just try and get some shut eye now, please.”

“I…” Annie stopped whatever she was about to say, “Okay.” she diverted her eyes away from his completely and Armin sighed softly. He still found Annie to be somewhat baffling, and at the back of his mind, he wondered if she was still keeping something from him, not that he wanted to dwell on it too much.

“I will be downstairs, when you've had enough rest you can come and join me.” Armin's voice seemed to get even quieter. The blonde nodded and closed her eyes tight.

Just as Armin was about to close the door behind him, Annie whispered a very quiet, “Thank you.” So quiet, that her words were almost drowned out by his footsteps. The boy wasn't sure if it was meant to be heard or not, but he had, and he couldn't help but smile to himself knowing deep inside, she still loved him, just as much as she did seven years ago. 


	18. Chapter 18

**September, 1944**

The small cottage was old and a little shabby. It was located on a barn, just like Krista had said. The place had quite obviously been abandoned some time ago, there were no animals on the land except for several chickens, the grass was an overgrown jungle and the paint on the barn house beside the cottage was peeling off. There was a forest close by—a perfect hiding place, Armin thought.

However, the outside was misleading as inside of the cottage was surprisingly cosy; the kitchen was a fair size, plenty of room for a sturdy wooden table with enough space for everyone to sit at. A dusty old piano sat in the corner of the living room, which almost immediately caught Armin's eye. He figured that neither Ymir nor Krista could play as the instrument looked as though it had been untouched for years. He thought about playing it, and he wished he could ask. It had been such a long time since his mother had given him lessons, but he was sure he could remember every note and tune.

Despite the fact that the place was clearly neglected, the dilapidated home was oddly comforting. The place smelt nice and there were several plant plots scattered around the living room as well as on the kitchen window ledge. The trio all agreed that the cottage was warm and welcoming in a strange way. When Armin returned after leaving Annie upstairs to sleep, he joined everybody in the kitchen. The room was soon filled by the delicious smell of food as Krista fried up a few eggs and started boiling potatoes. The scent wafted throughout the whole house, causing Armin and Eren's mouths to water, followed by the sound of their stomachs rumbling with hunger

“Do you need any help?” Mikasa offered politely, watching the small blonde potter about in the kitchen.

Krista quickly shook her head, “No, don't you worry. The three of you also need to rest.” The blonde came towards the table and placed five plates on the surface. She began to dish up the potatoes first, “I've cooked up extra food for Annie in case she is hungry when she wakes up.” the blonde added with a smile and Armin thanked her for the umpteenth time that day.

“I hope you're not thinking about taking advantage of Krista's kind nature.” Ymir suddenly piped up, her golden intimidating eyes narrowed ever so slightly from the top of the table where she sat as she watched the trio cautiously.

“We wouldn't dream of it, I am ever so grateful for your hospitality.” Armin replied, surprised that such a thing would cross the girl's mind in the first place. Ymir appeared to be extremely protective of Krista and the boy wondered just what kind of circumstances brought the two together.

Krista approached Ymir's chair from behind and leaned in, wrapping her arms around the girl's top half. The petite girl then placed a light kiss on top of Ymir's dark hair, “Be nice to our guests,” she mumbled sweetly.

“Are you two a couple?” Eren blurted out at his realisation.

Ymir cocked an eyebrow, “Is it not obvious?” she scoffed, “When the war is over, Krista and me are getting married.” Ymir's words caused the small blonde's cheeks to flush scarlet, “Isn't that right, Krista?” Ymir looked to the girl whose face was suddenly radiating heat.

She nodded shyly and placed a hand on Ymir's shoulder, “Yes, we are very much in love.”

Armin noticed the confused look that had spread across his friend's face, “But,” Eren began only to be cut short by Armin,

“I think love is truly boundless.”

Eren furrowed his brows as if he were deep in thought for several moments, before nodding his head in agreement. The room then turned very quiet and Krista continued to dish up the rest of the food, taking a seat at the table beside Ymir when she finished.

“What about you and Mikasa?” the blonde questioned after several minutes, breaking the silence, “Are you two a couple?”

The Asian girl's face immediately filled with a blush, but nothing compared to Eren's. The teen's turquoise eyes widened and he quickly stuttered out an answer,

“Um…” the boy paused to clear his throat, “We, no…Why do you ask?” Eren's face continued to burn bright red.

“Oh, forgive me…” an angelic giggle escaped Krista's mouth, “It's just, I thought that you were. You kind of give off that impression and you both look good together.”

“I agree.” a small smirk graced Armin's lips, only causing Eren's blush to deepen.

Mikasa said nothing, but briefly glanced at the darker haired boy and then down at her plate. The girl's silky black locks fell in front of her face, shielding it entirely as she waited for her blush to die down.

Eren took a sip of water and avoided making eye-contact with anyone at the table for the next ten minutes or so.

“And what about you, Armin? You seem to really love Fraulein Annie,” Krista looked to the other blond in the room. It was his turn to blush.

He gave a shy nod, “Yes, we're childhood sweethearts.”

“Wonderful!” Krista beamed and Ymir rolled her eyes.

“Enough of that,” she interrupted, “I want to know why the four of you are heading for the border.” Ymir's amber coloured eyes locked with Armin's blue and he had to swallow a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. Her eyes then moved to Eren, “I know you are a foreigner, you can't even speak German.”

“He's British,” Armin spluttered out, “I'm German but I lived in England for many years. I only came back here for Annie, and now that we are reunited we must leave…her father is in the SS and he will come looking for her when he finds out she's missing.”

“British?” Ymir raised her brows, “So you're on the run.” she stated bluntly and Armin nodded uncomfortably.

“Well yes,” Eren joined in, “But what about the two of you? Krista told us that she's hiding.”

“Y-yes.” Krista's voice was just above a whisper and she glanced at Ymir for a brief second.

“What are you hiding from?” Mikasa questioned, though the Asian already had an inkling.

“Many people are very prejudice,” Krista began, “But…the truth is, I ran away from my father.”

Armin raised his brows, _perhaps her situation is similar to Annie's_ , he thought.

“What happened?” Eren asked.

“I was born into a very wealthy family. They were relatives of the old German Kaiser, well, at least my father was.” Krista paused for a moment and placed a strand of her golden locks behind her ear, “My mother was his housemaid. I was born out of wedlock…a bastard child.”

The trio all remained completely silent, not even touching the food on their plates as Krista spoke, “Because of the circumstances of my birth, I was treated terribly by my family, with the exception of one of elder sisters, Frieda. My father neglected me, I was nothing but a hindrance to him…my mother completely ignored my existence and was later ousted from the house, and of course my father's wife despised me. It was a really awful life, I was so lonely, and I felt like my existence was nothing but a mistake.”

The light faded from Krista's blue eyes as she talked and they trailed downwards, focussing on the wooden table, “Everything changed one night. Our city was bombed heavily by the allied forces and my home was completely destroyed. Everyone was killed except me, I knew that when my father returned from war, he would need me as an heir to his inheritance, but I didn't want that. I knew he didn't love me as his own child like he did with my brothers and sisters. I didn't want to be used for his needs. I didn't want to be accepted and for him to suddenly become a loving father because I was all he had left. So I ran away and have never looked back.”

“So…your father must be under the belief that you're dead?” Armin gaped, a little surprised. Krista merely nodded.

“It's not all so bleak, though. I fled from the city and met Ymir…” Krista clasped the taller female's hand and her bright blue eyes met Ymir's golden pair, “It was a time when I had absolutely nothing and nobody, I was scared… I thought for sure I would be killed, and the worst part was, nobody would even know who I was, nobody would know my name. But I found someone who brought meaning to my life, and I knew that I would be able to go on.”

A faint smile found its way to Mikasa's face, “I have been in a very similar situation before. It never ceases to amaze me how humans can have such a profound affect on each other…and in this horrible world where there is such brutality, good can still be found in people—especially in the people you least expect.”

Krista nodded, “You're right. It's always those you least expect. People who may appear cold and selfish on the surface, but underneath it all have the kindest hearts.”

“I have another question.” Eren's voice spoke up once more, “How did you find this place? And Ymir, what happened to you? Don't you have a family?”

“Krista and I were both heading to the border when we met, but before we reached it we stumbled across this place and figured it was safer to stay here rather than get killed trying to escape. As for me, I came from a Roma family. In other words, they were gypsies or however you want to call it. But I was separated from them many years ago and ended up alone.” Ymir paused very briefly to take a sip from the glass of water in front of her, “Like the Jews, the Roma people are discriminated against. That's why in order to survive, I knew I had to run away and try and get out of this country.”

“Do you really think you are safe here?” Mikasa's soft voice was heard.

“Why wouldn't we be? We're in the middle of nowhere. There are no soldiers or air raids here. We only hear the occasional aircraft fly by.”

“It's true…the war just seems so far away out here.” Krista smiled.

“I hope your runaway sweetheart won't bring us any trouble…” Ymir's eyes locked with Armin's, unnerving the boy.

“We'll be on our way soon enough.” Armin ensured and gave Ymir a nod.

“At least stay the night.” Krista quickly cut in, before Ymir could speak. “I don't mind…”

Ymir turned to Krista with a look on her face that expressed her disagreement, but she did not verbally object.

“Please stay, that way you can all get proper rest.” Krista added.

“If you insist,” Armin answered shakily after several moments, wondering if it had been best to have turned down Krista's offer, “Thank you.”

“We can stay for one night.” Mikasa confirmed.

The small blonde's face completely lit up hearing their answer, “Great! In that case, I had best get started on dinner!”

* * *

Annie jolted awake a few hours later, clueless to where she was. She sat up rather quickly and ran a hand through her hair. The room was relatively dark and she could see that the sun had already set, but it wasn't quite pitch-black yet.

The smell of something cooking downstairs entered her nostrils several moments later and her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten in over a day and she knew she would have to tonight. Just as the girl stood from the bed, she started to hear music coming from downstairs.

Annie froze for a second and her pale eyes widened, _what the?_ She couldn't even be sure she was hearing correctly, _a piano?_

The tune was an unfamiliar one, yet whatever it was, she was drawn to it. As she made her way downstairs very quietly, she spotted Armin sitting at an old piano with another blonde beside him, who she did not recognise. Annie watched his fingers tentatively and carefully run over the piano's keys. He was obviously out of practise, but even so she enjoyed the song he was playing. Surrounding him were Eren and Mikasa, accompanied by another taller female, with darker skin and even darker hair. The blonde quietly entered the room without anybody noticing her presence and did not say a word, not wanting to alert anyone she had made an appearance. Though, deep down, she wanted Armin to turn around and see her, but he continued to play. This time, it was a tune she _did_ recognise.

It was an old German folk song, _Waldeslust_ , she reminded herself of the name and started to hum along to it.

“I should stop. I don't want to wake Annie.” Armin paused,

“You shouldn't stop.” Annie made her presence known and the sound of her voice made the boy turn around abruptly. At that moment, all eyes were on her.

“A-Annie!” the blond exclaimed, “How are you feeling? I…I didn't wake you, did I?”

“Much better, and no you didn't.” Annie answered bluntly, though inside she felt slightly unsettled by everyone staring at her, especially by two pairs of eyes belonging to complete strangers.

“You must be starving, Annie.” Krista addressed her with a sweet smile, “I am Krista Lenz by the way, and this is Ymir.” The smaller blonde looked up at Ymir who was standing closely behind her, “I have prepared enough food for everyone, so when you are ready please feel free to help yourself.”

“Annie Leonhart.” The blonde replied, introducing herself as quickly as possible and giving a curt nod.

“We were just listening to Armin playing a few hits on the piano.” Eren said and Annie nodded again, taking a few steps forward.

“Both Ymir and I are unable to play, but Armin insisted he try it out. It's wonderful that the piano can finally get some use.” Krista looked to the blond as if expecting him to continue playing.

Armin blushed lightly, “Well, I am a little rusty. It's been many years since I've touched a piano.”

“You sound fine to me.” Annie commented which only made the boy's blush darken, “I want to hear you play.”

“I thought so, too.” Mikasa added, encouraging Armin to continue.

“W-well, thank you, both of you.”

“Come on Armin! Continue playing, it's nice to hear a bit of music. It feels like it's been forever.” Eren patted Armin on the back, waiting for his friend to start again.

“We'll sing along!” Krista beamed and clapped her hands together.

“O-okay…” the boy stammered nervously, but nevertheless continued to play.

Annie watched Armin's fingers tremble a little as he hit the first few keys and he made several mistakes before getting back on track. Krista almost immediately started to sing along, which seemed to boost his confidence and Armin couldn't help but join in, too.

_Waldeslust!_ _Waldeslust!_  
_Oh wie einsam schlägt die Brust!_  
_Ihr lieben Vögelein,_  
_Stimmt eure Lieder ein_  
_Und singt aus voller Brust_  
_Die Waldeslust!_

_Ihr_ _lieben Vögelein,_  
_Stimmt eure Lieder ein_  
_Und singt aus voller Brust_  
_Die Waldeslust!_

Both the teens had soft angelic voices, and when Mikasa joined in on the second verse the three of them almost sounded like a choir.

_Waldeslust!_ _Waldeslust!_  
_Oh wie einsam schlägt die Brust!_  
_Mein Vater kennt mich nicht,_  
_Mein Mutter liebt mich nicht,_  
_Und sterben mag ich nicht,_  
_Bin noch so jung!_

Armin was surprised to hear Annie's quiet voice join them when the second half of the second verse was repeated and he hit the keys with even more enthusiasm than before.

_Mein_ _Vater kennt mich nicht,_  
_Mein Mutter liebt mich nicht,_  
_Und sterben mag ich nicht,_  
_Bin noch so jung!_

“How about another song?” Armin offered, his cheeks glowing red as he turned around to Annie.

“Yes!” Krista clapped her hands again.

“I can't understand or sing along,” Eren let out a laugh, “But I want to hear another.”

“Annie?” Armin's ocean blue eyes locked with Annie's lighter blue as he waited for her answer.

The blonde's lips curved upwards ever so slightly, “Go on then.”

Armin grinned.

 _Who would have thought we'd all be able to have fun like this?_ He thought happily to himself.

The next few notes that met Annie's ears were ones that she was very familiar with. It was an extremely old German folk song, dating back to the beginning of the nineteenth century.

“Treue Liebe!” Krista exclaimed, she was obviously familiar with the song too. That was no surprise—it was after all, one of the most famous German love songs.

Armin paused again only to turn around and address the other blonde in the room, “Annie, come here.” he beckoned her gently, patting his lap for her to sit. Her pale cheeks quickly flushed.

She was about to protest, but the word 'no' got stuck at the back of her throat, refusing to escape from her mouth. Instead she complied, finding a seat on top of the teen's lap. Her heart was thudding, she was so close to him. She inched to the side a little so that he was able to play and he put a hand on either side of her to reach the piano. Annie could feel Armin's heartbeat next to her back and the tickle of his breath against the back of her neck spread goosebumps all over her body.

_Ach_ _wie ist's möglich dann,_  
_Daß ich dich lassen kann_  
_Hab' dich von Herzen lieb_  
_Das glaube mir_  
_Du hast die Seele mein_  
_So ganz genommen ein_  
_Da ich kein' And're lieb'_  
_Als dich allein._

_(Oh_ _how's that possible then,_  
_That I'm able to leave you;_  
_I love you from the bottom of my heart,_  
_This believe me!_  
_You've taken my soul_  
_So completely,_  
_So that I do not love any other_  
_But only you!)_

_Blau_ _ist ein Blümelein,_  
_Heißet Vergißnichtmein:_  
_Leg' es an's Herze dein_  
_Und denk' an mich!_  
_Stirbt Blum' und Hoffnung gleich,_  
_Wir sind an Liebe reich;_  
_Denn die stirbt nie bei mir,_  
_Das glaube mir!_

_(A_ _little flower is blossoming blue,_  
_Its name is forget-me-not:_  
_This little flower put to your heart_  
_And remember me!_  
_If flower and hope die soon,_  
_We'll be rich in love,_  
_Because it will never die with me,_  
_This believe me!)_

_Wär'_ _ich ein Vögelein,_  
_Wollt' ich bald bei dir sein,_  
_Scheut' Falk und Habicht nicht,_  
_Flög' schnell zu dir._  
_Schöß' mich ein Jäger tot,_  
_Sänk' ich in deinen Schoß;_  
_Säh'st du mich traurig an,_  
_Gern stürb' ich dann!_

_(If_ _I were a little bird,_  
_Soon I'd like to be with you,_  
_Wouldn't be scared of falcon and hawk,_  
_I'd quickly fly to you!_  
_If a hunter shot me dead,_  
_I'd fall down into your lap;_  
_If you looked at me sadly,_  
_I'd like to die then!)_

Everyone sung except for Eren and Ymir, and although Annie's quiet voice was not as smooth as either Mikasa's or Krista's, Armin felt blessed to hear her. He gave her a light kiss on the cheek when he finished playing and smiled brightly at her.

“I didn't know you were able to play,” she said quietly with a tiny smile on her lips.

“My mother taught me.” Armin replied, and for the briefest of moments, a sad look flashed in his blue eyes.

“I'd love to sing all night long, but I'm sure you all want something to eat?” Krista interrupted, standing up from the stool next to the piano and brushing the creases out of her skirt.

“That would sure be nice, I'm starving.” Eren stated and the small blonde gave a nod before heading off into the kitchen.

Ymir followed shortly after, and that's when Annie spoke up again,

“Armin,” she looked him in the eye and he noticed there was still a faint redness present on her usually porcelain cheeks, “We really should be going.”

“Ymir and Krista are letting us stay the night, just to make sure that we're fully rested.”

Hearing Armin's words, Annie frowned and stood up. She took hold of the boy's hand and led him outside into the night. The couple were greeted by a fresh breeze as the blonde closed the door behind them.

“We can't stay here.” Annie's tone was low and serious.

“It's only for the night.” Armin replied. This time he was the one with the frown on his face, wondering what her problem was.

Annie looked down to the side, “It's dangerous, you _know_ it is. We need to get out of Germany.”

“It's okay Annie. You don't have to worry about anyone finding us, Ymir and Krista have been hiding here for a while. We're in a very remote place.”

Annie looked up again and observed her surroundings, she was unable to see much as it was very dark, but there were no lights or houses to be seen anywhere, meaning that they were truly in the middle of nowhere.

She let out a breath which almost sounded like a sigh, “Alright,” she locked eyes with Armin's large blue again, “But we will leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

“That's the plan.” Armin gave her a reassuring smile, “Come on, let's go back inside and eat, you really need to after all.”

The girl looked down again as a heavy feeling of guilt and worry washed over her. It wasn't likely that Reiner or Bertolt or even her father would find her out here, but she couldn't help but feel anxious.

When the couple re-entered the cottage, they found Eren and Mikasa sitting even closer together. Eren's hand was wrapped around the Asian girl's waist and a warm blush had filled her cheeks. Armin smiled softly at the two, but before he could join them, Krista called for all of them to come into the kitchen as the dinner was served.

Armin knew to enjoy tonight as tomorrow would be another long walk towards the border. He wasn't sure what kind of trouble the four were likely to face on the way, and he could only hope it would all be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The German folk songs I put in were Waldeslust and Ach wie ist's möglich dann (Treue Liebe) for anyone who was wondering. They are quite nice songs, if you want to look them up.


	19. Chapter 19

**September, 1944**

“I want you to stay here, with us.” Krista announced at breakfast the following morning. Her words came as no surprise to Armin. It was clear that Krista had taken a liking to him and his friends and obviously wanted the extra company, in the back of her mind, she probably had the idea that there was safety in numbers, too.

Hearing her words, Armin made sure to keep an eye on the girl beside him using his peripheral vision. Annie immediately tensed up and Armin became anxious knowing that she was not fond of the idea. After all, it was only last night that she had made it crystal clear they were to leave the following morning.

“T-thank you, Krista, but we really should get going…” Armin's voice was unsteady as he spoke. Strangely enough, the boy quite liked the idea of staying at the small cottage. It seemed safe enough and he thought perhaps they could hide out at least until the war was over.

“But I insist,” Krista protested, furrowing her brows and almost pouting from across the table.

“We can't force them.” Ymir rolled her amber coloured eyes and let out a sigh.

“I assure you, you're safer here than trying to flee the country.”

“Maybe Krista is correct.” Mikasa spoke quietly and Krista's eyes brightened ever so slightly.

“No.” Annie's voice was sharp and icy, “We can't stay here. You don't know what the German army is capable of. Before you know it, there will be soldiers littering even the most remote places—”

Before the blonde was able to complete her sentence, she was interrupted by a snort from Ymir, “Don't give me that bull,” the darker girl locked eyes with Annie's angry ones, “You're the daughter of an SS bastard, right? You must be brainwashed into thinking the German people are almighty.”

Annie said nothing but shot Ymir a deathly glare from across the table. Armin could feel her stare without even looking directly at her and he had to refrain from shivering.

_She always knew how to give the most terrifying looks…_

“I think…” Armin began hesitantly and glanced at Annie very briefly before proceeding, “W-we could stay for a little while longer, I mean, I think you have a fair point about it being safer rather than trying to get across the country.”

Annie let out a sound of utter disapproval and seconds later, the harsh sound of a chair's wooden legs scraping across the floor resounded throughout the kitchen as Annie pushed herself from the seat and left the room. Armin sighed heavily.

“What's got her knickers in a twist? She's so impulsive.” Eren commented and the blond boy raised his brows.

“Says you,” he continued to look at his friend sceptically while Eren simply shrugged it off.

“I understand Annie is worried, but I want her to know that she's completely safe here.” Krista looked almost upset and Armin gave the smaller blonde a soft smile of reassurance.

“Don't worry, I will go and talk to her.”

The boy bit his lip, knowing it was easier said than done. Last night he had practically promised Annie they would leave, and now he felt guilty for going against his word and her wishes.

Armin made little hesitation to go after Annie, who had only moments ago escaped out from the backdoor. It wasn't long before he spotted her sitting by a tree in the field. His heart wavered slightly; the image was frighteningly similar to his dreams about the girl and reminiscent of their childhood days. He stood back for a few minutes, just watching her. His heart started hammering and he took a breath before moving.

He finally gathered up the courage to approach the girl and sat down beside her without saying a word. She didn't acknowledge his presence, and he knew she was angry. He felt a nervous clench of the muscles in his stomach and he felt almost nauseous.

“Annie…” he began, “I'm sorry, I know you wanted to leave. But, can't you see our reasoning? Surely you know of the dangers—”

“It's not that.” she cut him off and released a breath that she'd been holding for some time.

“Then, what is it?” Armin questioned, trying to catch the girl's eye but failing to do so, “Is it because of Ymir and Krista?”

“No…it's not them…” Annie's face was contorting in a way that made her look as if she was about to burst into tears or lash out at him. Armin wasn't sure which.

“Talk to me, Annie. You can tell me anything. I want to be able to get to know you all over again…”

 _I can't tell him what I've done_. Annie's inner turmoil was eating away at her once again. _He would despise me and rightly so_.

“I know there's something you're not quite being honest about.” Armin suddenly spoke and Annie turned to him with an attempted poker face but her eyes always seemed to give her away, at least to him.

 _'You're right.'_ those words lingered on the tip of her tongue, but Annie was too afraid to be a good person and confess the truth.

“There's nothing. I'm just concerned.”

“About?”

“You know what.”

“Think about it Annie, nobody will ever suspect you're here. If you're worried about your father finding you, that is. If anything, he would probably head to the border first…”

Annie bit her lip, Armin's thinking was smart and logical. But she had more than just her father finding her to worry about. Reiner and Bertolt would have been in Munich looking for her and the city was not really all that far from their current location, of course Reiner and Bertolt would have passed on the letter to her father as well. If they asked around, surely someone would be able to give them away.

“I would never let something bad happen to you.” Armin whispered moments later, watching her face carefully and moving closer.

 _That's not what I'm worried about, Armin. I don't want something bad to happen to you_.

Annie's blue eyes met the grass and remained there until she felt the boy's gentle hand lightly caress her cheek.

“Don't you think this scene is awfully familiar?” Armin smiled half-heartedly and the girl's eyes widened for a second.

“Now that you mention it.” she whispered back.

Before Annie could say any more, the boy pressed his lips against hers.

It crossed her mind that he was probably getting her back by having a go at playing her own game. Sweet, soft kisses were bound to change her mind. At least that's what Armin probably thought. As the boy's lips grazed over her lips and pecked here and there, Annie's thoughts dissipated and she let herself slip under his spell.

The kiss quickly became intense and Armin seemed to be the one in control. Annie's hand traced down the boy's clothed chest and when her cold fingers met his suspenders, she smirked into the embrace.

She pulled on the strap and let go again so that it snapped back onto Armin's chest. He winced a little and bit down on Annie's bottom lip harsher than she was expecting from him.

“You still wear these.” Amused, she murmured into his mouth as her hand still dangled over one of the straps. Before she could pull on it again, Armin took hold of her hand and clasped it tightly.

“And you're still rather violent.” he muttered back.

Annie pulled away, “It appears like everything's still the same…” she paused with a look on her face that was completely inscrutable, “but the reality is, it's not, even if neither you nor I want to admit it.”

For some reason, Annie's words made the boy feel anxious and his heart felt heavy and uncomfortable in his chest, “Even though many things have changed, even though we've grown older, the important thing is that our love for each other never died.” the blond responded several moments later while looking directly into Annie's enigmatic eyes. He was clueless to what she would do or say next and it unnerved him terribly.

“I'm not the same person I was back then.” Annie suddenly blurted and an uncomfortable silence settled upon the couple.

“I know.” Armin finally spoke, “But I don't think you are a bad person.”

“…You are a kind fool, Arlert.” the faintest of smiles met the blonde's lips, and in return Armin's mouth curved slightly upwards.

“I'm no fool, Annie.”

Annie paused for a moment and turned away from the boy, Armin noticed her lips widen. As she looked on ahead, a cool wind passed over them and she placed a strand of her blonde locks behind her ear before speaking once again, “You're right. You never were.”

Annie was silent again and from the corner of her eye she watched the boy beside her. She could feel her heart thudding against the confines of her chest and her stomach twisted and churned nervously, “It's all a part of your charm,” she added, her voice extremely quiet as she spoke, “I find it so difficult to believe you're sat beside me. I really never thought I would be able to see you again.”

Armin turned to her, “I'd have rather died than break my promise to you. I missed you so terribly, I never stopped loving you. In fact, with every day that passed it seemed like my love for you only grew stronger.”

“They say absence only makes the heart grow fonder,” Annie spoke softly, “I missed you more than you could ever imagine.”

“And the last thing you were expecting was for me to turn up at your doorstep after all these years…”

Annie simply nodded, the small smile never wavering from her face.

“What went through your mind when you saw me?”

“Disbelief,” Annie said quickly, “My heart was pounding.”

Armin noticed the blonde subconsciously start to play with the silver ring around her finger.

“I want to work on closing the distance that has formed between us, so that we can be as close as we once were. We were never meant to be apart, you know that.”

Annie turned to Armin and their eyes locked, there was still a faint smile present on her face, “I agree. You were and still are the only person to bring out the good in me.”

Armin almost chuckled, “That's not true, Annie. You don't need me for that.”

The boy placed a gentle hand over Annie's and smiled. No more words were spoken and the two silently gazed into each other's eyes with small smiles playing on their lips. The wind continued to rustle the grass and the trees around them and there was something comforting about the faint warmth in the September rays that shone down over their heads.

Despite everything and even if it was only to last a few minutes, Annie couldn't feel anything other than happiness. The worry and anxiety could be put on the back burner momentarily while she basked in the feelings that Armin gave her.

* * *

Reluctantly, Annie had given into Armin and a week later she found herself sitting, or rather shivering, in Ymir and Krista's parlour.

“Whose turn is it to go and get the firewood? It's best you go before it gets completely dark and the sun is already beginning to set.” Ymir stated and Annie was thankful someone had brought it up.

“I can get you a blanket if you want, Annie.” Krista piped up, noticing that the girl was clearly feeling the cold. The temperatures had started to dip quite drastically in the evenings and the nights were even worse. It was typical and expected, they were almost in October after all.

“No. It's okay, thank you.” Annie responded quickly, not wanting anyone to go to any trouble for her.

“She will be just fine. She has Armin to keep her warm.” Eren grinned.

Armin blushed at Eren's comment, “If I remember correctly, Eren, it's your turn to go and get the firewood.”

“Armin's right.” Annie added with a small smirk.

“But—” Eren protested, however he was quickly cut short by Ymir,

“I know you're comfortable nestled up to your girlfriend there,”

Mikasa's face tinged red, “We're not—”

“But you have to remember just _who_ has offered such kind hospitality,” Ymir continued to speak right over Mikasa, drowning out her voice entirely, “Krista and I went and got the wood last time and I don't remember you doing it in a while.”

Armin nodded his head in agreement, “Yes, the time before Annie went alone.”

“That's correct.” Krista gave a nod and placed her hands on top of her small hips.

“Alright, Alright.” the dark haired teen stood up, leaving the Asian girl cold on one side, “See you guys in a bit.”

Seconds after Eren left the room, Mikasa practically jumped out of her seat, “I will go with him.” she excused herself with a bow and briskly followed after the boy.

“Eren,” the Asian called out once she had left the cottage, Eren was not too far ahead and turned around immediately.

“Mikasa? You should go back inside.” Eren's turquoise eyes wavered from the Asian girl's face.

“If we work together, we can collect the wood in half the time.” she stated matter-of-factly and proceeded to walk towards the boy.

Eren was still avoiding Mikasa's eye, mostly out of embarrassment, “I don't want you to get cold.”

The girl wasn't listening to his protests and instead took hold of his hand and led him away from the cottage.

“There's no need to worry about me. Are you forgetting that I have lived on the streets before?”

Eren turned to face her properly and their eyes met at last, “Yeah, I know. I'm sorry.” he looked down away from her and focussed on his shoes as they continued to walk into the woods. He made no more protests about Mikasa tagging along, realising that he was probably unintentionally insulting her by doing so.

The dark haired girl was silent and Eren started to feel somewhat awkward as they walked side-by-side. He felt as if he should say something because they had been spending so much time together, and with little words they had grown so much closer. They were comfortable in each other's embrace and enjoyed each other's warmth but they were both shy when it came to speaking their feelings. Mikasa was reserved and Eren was never able to express himself.

“Besides which fact…” Mikasa's smooth voice interrupted the silence, “I have your scarf to keep me warm.”

Eren looked up at the girl and their eyes met briefly before the girl looked down again and nuzzled into the red fabric. Her cheeks were dusted pink and Eren's heart skipped a beat. Another long silence followed and all that could be heard was twigs snapping under their feet and the sound of wildlife rustling in the bushes as they made their way further into the woods.

The couple seemed to take it in turns stealing glances at one another, until Eren finally spoke again.

“When the war is over,” he began and clenched his fists tighter, feeling strangely nervous, “I want to stay with you.” The boy's heart was beating like a drum against his chest and his face was cherry red. Saying how he felt was never easy for him. However, he was unable to look at the girl beside him directly; Eren was never one for romance unlike his friend, Armin, and he had no idea how to handle the situation he had put himself in by confessing that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Mikasa clasped Eren's balled fist with both hands and stopped dead still, she pulled him back, forcing the boy to face her. The two stood opposite each other and wild turquoise eyes met emotional grey.

“I have wanted to hear that for some time,” she whispered back, “That's all I want.”

Eren's eyes widened slightly and he took a breath, “I think…I think I love you.”

“Me too,” Mikasa pushed the scarf away from her mouth, “ _Really_ , love you.”

In an instant, their lips crashed together.

Eren held and caressed Mikasa's cheek as their lips worked together and the girl's hands rested on top of his shoulders. As the kiss deepened and became more intimate, one of Mikasa's hands found its way to the back Eren's neck. Once comfortable, the boy too, also started to explore. His hands moved away from the girl's face and trailed down her sides causing her to shiver into the kiss; his hands finally rested on her small waist and he massaged her gently. She was very thin, but also firm.

When the kiss met its climax, Eren kissed Mikasa's chin and worked kisses along her jaw. He didn't stop his decent there and very slowly, he shifted the red garment around Mikasa's neck to the side without removing it completely. When the male's lips met Mikasa's pale neck a sound so quiet yet very satisfying escaped Mikasa's pert lips. Eren couldn't stop now, not after hearing that sound. And looking at Mikasa, he was certain she did not want him to stop anytime soon, either.

He kissed her again and again; he sucked and nipped at her skin, creating a work of art along her neck as he went: bursts of blue and purple marks in all shapes and sizes formed across her skin. With each touch, more sounds escaped from Mikasa's mouth and Eren was becoming more heated by the second. The dark haired boy only paused to remove his shirt and his fingers stumbled as he worked on undoing the buttons. After getting only half way undone, Mikasa's slender hands aided him and the shirt fell from his shoulders. This time, she kissed him. Her moist lips touched his neck and his breathing turned heavy. The girl then timidly trailed along his collar bone and her hands traced down his nicely toned chest.

Eren let Mikasa have her turn and then slowly started to work on her shirt, however before proceeding with anything, he locked eyes with her to make sure that he had her permission.

The girl nodded promptly and Eren began to touch her in a way that made her knees feel weak. He gently massaged the small lumps of flesh that were still hidden beneath her bra until the sounds she was making became too much for the boy to bear and he had to remove that piece of clothing too. The Asian sighed into Eren's touch and he pressed his hot chest next to hers, moaning softly as his groin brushed against her. Mikasa felt as if she was on fire, the boy was radiating so much heat that no firewood was needed to keep either of them warm. When he kissed her again, the girl stumbled backwards and her back met the trunk of a tree.

The sun had already set and the pale moonlight was their only source of light, other than the oil lamp Eren had taken with him into the woods. Mikasa briefly looked up at the millions of stars sparkling in the dark sky above, shining down on them. When she looked down again she met Eren's eye, noting that under the moonlight his eyes appeared much darker and deeper, completely full of emotion. A thin layer of sweat glistened on Eren's slick skin and the girl had to swallow, when she felt Eren's hands glide over her body again her breath hitched in her throat and she closed her eyes. As his hot fingers trailed up her leg and drifted over her thighs she felt as though she would explode. Eren watched Mikasa's flushed face and her eyes tightened shut as he started to trace over her clothed sex.

“Mikasa…” Eren's voice shattered the girl's blurred thoughts and brought her back into the real world, “I don't want to do anything you don't want me to do.” The boys eyebrows were furrowed, his face completely serious.

“I _want_ …” Mikasa started and took a breath, “you to take me,” the girl let out another breath and finished her sentence, “right here and right now.”

Eren felt his breath catch in his throat. Mikasa was so beautiful, especially with a red face and emotion swimming in her almond shaped eyes.

“Are you sure?” the boy asked again.

“Positive.”

The brunette swallowed again and placed another kiss on Mikasa's lips. He then continued what he was doing with his hands. He wasn't experienced, he had never even kissed a girl, let alone got this far before, but somehow with Mikasa everything seemed so natural and he was confident in what he was doing to her. His digits brushed over the same spot again and he could feel dampness on her underwear. She was clearly getting excited and the same could be said for Eren who was beginning to feel very restricted in his pants. Mikasa's whimpering and trembling wasn't helping the matter in the slightest, either.

“I'm going to take these off,” Eren hushed and began to slide the girl's underwear down her legs. It eventually met the ground, resting around her ankles. When his fingers met her bare clit, Mikasa's knees buckled and Eren was sure he had never heard such loud sounds come from the Asian's mouth before.

It really didn't matter, because it wasn't like anyone would hear them. If anything, the boy only encouraged her even more by adding pressure with his digits.

“ _Eren!_ ” Mikasa squeaked and Eren's breathing picked up again, “ _Please_ , Eren…” Mikasa could barely get a breath.

A moment later, Eren undid the zipper to his pants and pushed Mikasa's long skirt up. His trousers fell to his ankles and he pressed himself up against her body again. They could feel each other's heart beat as their chests met and when Mikasa felt Eren's length against her thigh she opened her mouth to say his name again, but no sounds came out. Luckily, Eren knew what exactly what she wanted. Slowly and careful not to hurt her, he pushed himself inside of her.

“How…how does that feel?” he just about managed to utter, his breathing already strained from being inside of her alone. Mikasa was stiff for a moment and didn't answer, Eren gave her time to adjust before moving and a small smile from the Asian was the cue he needed.

Mikasa felt pressure on her back as the bark of the tree dug into her skin against Eren's thrusts, but the pleasure was enough to override any discomfort she originally felt. She wrapped her arms around Eren's neck and ran her hands down his back, digging her nails into his skin every now and then. His thrusts only improved and he gently rocked in and out of her moaning and cursing a little as he did so. However, his sounds were drowned out by Mikasa's whimpers and moans. The feeling became more and more intense, until the girl could no longer take it all in.

She screamed when she climaxed, “ _Eren!_ ” and her legs shook vigorously, so much that she could barely hold herself up.

The boy kissed her and pulled her in closer to keep her standing on her two feet, the tree despite having left red marks all over her back, was proving to be a good method of support as well. Another few minutes or so passed and Eren's laboured breaths and faster pace suggested that he was on the brink too, and not long after he pulled out of her with a shout.

“ _Oh god…Mikasa!_ ” 

The couple slouched down to the ground, their chests absolutely heaving and breathing erratic. They huddled close and embraced each other until they regained their senses, at least enough to be able to speak. Both with flushed faces, they looked to each other and waited for someone to speak first.

“We should probably go and get that firewood…” Eren mumbled with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the delay with this chapter, I've been struggling to get into the mood to write and I've also been very busy. But it's finally done! I hope everyone enjoyed it, feedback is much appreciated.


	20. Chapter 20

**September, 1944**

“You two sure took your time,” Ymir chided, “I hope you managed to pick up a lot of firewood for all that it was worth.” Ymir's amber coloured eyes narrowed at the two teens suspiciously, immediately suspecting something. It seemed like Ymir never missed a trick, always watching and observing everyone.

Armin looked at his two friends, and although there was somehow not a crease or hair out of place on Mikasa, the flushed look on her usually pale face gave her away. The boy also noticed how Eren's dark locks stuck to his forehead and neck, as if he had worked up a sweat despite the weather outside being cool.

Eren averted his turquoise eyes to the side and dumped his pile of wood at Ymir's foot. Mikasa calmly followed his action and attempted to leave the room before any more unnecessary attention was drawn to either of them, but she was unable to do so quickly enough as Ymir blocked her path. The Asian bit the inside of her cheek and waited.

Ymir smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Seconds later, Krista entered the room and stood by her girlfriend's side, “What's with that look on your face?” she questioned, wondering what on earth was so amusing.

“Ask _them_.” Ymir's grin widened and Krista turned to Eren and Mikasa, looking innocently baffled. Mikasa's face flooded red rather quickly and her eyes dropped to the ground.

Armin blinked and a small crawled onto his lips.

“Shut it! We didn't do anything.” Eren mumbled, only making matters worse for the both of them. Armin blinked and the small smile on his face widened.

“I never actually _said_ you did anything,” Ymir laughed, “But now it's become rather obvious!”

Krista blushed.

“Eren, Mikasa?” Armin probed with an almost sadistic grin,

“No!” Eren's face was scarlet and Armin could see his hands shaking in a mixture of what seemed to be embarrassment, anger and frustration.

The Asian seemed to be paralysed by her own embarrassment, her grey eyes glued to her feet. Her black hair covered her burning red face until she managed to mutter an almost inaudible “Excuse me.” and rushed out of the room.

“No need to be ashamed, Krista and I have gotten up to all sorts in the woods,” Ymir let out a laugh and feistily placed her arm around the small girl who was now as red as Mikasa had been, “Isn't that right, darling?” she laughed again, clearly finding the whole situation hilarious.

“Y-Ymir!” Krista pushed her away, mortified.

Armin just continued to smile without saying another word, instead, his thoughts trailed to his own girlfriend, wondering why she hadn't joined them in the kitchen.

_She has definitely been smiling more in the past few days, but it seems like she still wishes to remain distant…_

The young woman's anti-social behaviour worried the boy slightly, but then again, he remembered how she had always preferred to keep herself to herself. It was a feature of her personality that would probably never change.

“Anyway, let's get this place warmed up.” Ymir spoke again, this time with a more serious tone of voice.

It wasn't long before the small cottage was filled with the warmth that the burning wood brought them, and everyone was back in the parlour, including Eren and Mikasa. Krista was once again begging Armin to play a tune on the old piano, as they had little else to do.

“It would be lovely if you could play just one before bed,” she smiled eagerly, “You are very talented and I've missed music so terribly. Since I've been here, I've barely heard any.”

His cheeks tinged red, “Alright, but just one. If you wish, I can teach you how to play one day.” the boy stood up reluctantly from his position next to Annie and sat at the piano.

“I would love for you to teach me!” Krista exclaimed with a bright smile plastered across her face,

“Not tonight, it's already getting late.” Ymir poked her lightly, causing the blonde's smile to turn into a frown, but nevertheless, she snuggled into the taller female and waited for Armin to play.

He sat at the old piano with his back to the others and right before his fingers hit the keys, he turned to Annie and smiled; a smile that made her heart flutter.

“This is for Annie, even though you might not be familiar with the song.” he spoke softly with a slight quake in his voice and a tint of redness present on his cheeks.

Annie's light blue eyes widened for a split second and her heart skipped another beat.

“When you're ready.” she mumbled, waiting for him to start.

“It's an old tune called 'Let me call you sweetheart'. Eren you will know this one.” A second later, the room was filled with the sound of Armin's fingers gently running over the piano's keys.

Annie's heart thumped against the confines of her chest as Armin played but there was something very off putting. Out of the corner of her eye, she could feel Mikasa's grey almond-shaped eyes, watching her. It wasn't until Armin finished playing that Annie's cold blue eyes shot to the Asian, at which point she quickly diverted her gaze, pretending as though she hadn't been looking in the first place. Slightly irritated, Annie continued to look in Mikasa's direction until Armin's voice turned her attention away,

“Did you like it?” he questioned in that kind, soft voice of his,

Annie's eyes flickered back to the blond boy sitting at the piano, and they noticeably softened, “Thank you, Armin. I really enjoyed it.” she said quietly. “I would love you to play another but I think I should get some sleep.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Armin smiled and stood up.

“I'm sure Eren and Mikasa need the rest.” Ymir added with a smirk, causing both teens to flush red again.

Armin stifled a giggle and Annie looked over to Mikasa again.

“Right…” Krista stood up, ignoring Ymir's remark, “I'll put the lights out.”

The other blonde exited the room quickly, wanting to make it up the stairs before the cottage was plunged into darkness. Armin followed behind her, wanting to say goodnight in private.

“Annie,” he called out just before she entered the bedroom she shared with Mikasa.

Annie stopped immediately and turned around to face Armin. The boy was sure he could see the outline of a small smile on her face.

“I wanted to say goodnight.” His voice was almost a whisper as he stepped forward and thinking that was all the boy had to say, Annie said good night in a hushed tone and turned around again. However, she was stopped when she felt Armin's hand on her arm and the next thing she knew, his lips were on hers.

Her heart was instantly pounding and she responded with neediness that Armin had never really detected from her before. It was only meant to be a goodnight peck, but it quickly escalated into something much more. Of course, the couple pulled apart once they heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Goodnight, Armin.” Annie's voice was hot and breathy as she spoke, causing chills to run up and down Armin's spine.

“G-goodnight.” he responded almost sheepishly and headed for the room that he shared with Eren.

Annie entered the bedroom and turned on the oil lamp. Instead of getting changed, she waited for her roommate. It wasn't long before the tall, dark haired female stepped in. The look on her face suggested she was slightly surprised to see Annie just sitting there. No words were exchanged between the two, and Mikasa stood in front of the mirror with her back to the blonde as she began to undress and change into her night garments. The smaller female was about to turn away to give Mikasa some privacy when something caught her eye.

The dark purple marks Eren had left scattered across her pale neck were now exposed, after being hidden beneath her red scarf all evening.

“Did Eren leave you with those?” Annie's question was more of a statement.

Mikasa blushed and attempted to cover up her love bites with the scarf, but it was too late—Annie had already seen it all.

“N-none, none of your business.” she muttered and the blonde did not pursue the topic.

The two girls were silent for some time, until Mikasa spoke again, “I love him.” her voice was extremely quiet, “I am not ashamed…”

Annie said nothing.

Mikasa turned around for the first time, so that Annie was no longer looking at her reflection, “I am sure you understand. I see the way you look at Armin; you are deeply in love with him.”

Annie blinked, feeling struck for words.

“When you look at him, your face softens.”

Annie's cheeks tinged pink, “Is that so…” the blonde looked down away from the Asian and placed a few strands of her hair behind her ear. She could feel herself smiling and quickly made sure that her face returned to her usual deadpan.

“I thought that you were a cold girl, someone who couldn't be helped. But since living here together with you, I've changed my mind.”

“I thought you were emotionless and dull, but, I suppose you're not really that bad.” Annie responded, taking a jab at the girl.

Mikasa's lips twitched, “I think we are more similar than what we would both like to admit.” The blonde raised an eyebrow, “In the sense that we are both reserved, maybe even too much sometimes.”

“You're obviously not very reserved around Eren.” Annie caught Mikasa's eye again, and the Asian girl was sure Annie's lips curved upwards into the smallest smirk for a second or two.

Needless to say, Mikasa's face flushed red again and she turned around, hiding her face from the smaller female, “Please don't.” she mumbled, embarrassed.

Annie sighed and lay back on the bed, “I thought you said you weren't ashamed?”

“I'm _not_ , I'm just…”

“I get it.” Annie spoke again, “It's between the two of you.”

“Yes.” Mikasa hummed and nodded her head in agreement.

Annie said nothing more and just stared blankly up at the ceiling. When her train of thought led to the blond boy in the other room, her heart started to thud against her chest.

 _His lips are soft, I love the way he kisses me…and the way he looks at me with those large, deep eyes…He's much taller than I expected him to be,_ Annie thought, _and that body of his may be lean but I bet he's hiding something—_

Wanting to cut her thoughts before they escalated any further and unable to withstand her racing heart, she swallowed, turned to her side and slammed her eyes shut.

* * *

“So, what did you and Mikasa get up to in the woods?” Armin questioned innocently enough, though there was a smug look that did not quite look right on his boyish face.

Eren groaned, “Give it a rest.”

Armin smirked and giggled, “Was it good?”

Eren looked as if he were about to strangle his friend. The brunet paused for a moment but gave in, “ _Yes_ , if you must know.”

Armin's grin widened so that almost all of his teeth were visible, “So you _did_ do something.”

“I think we all already established that a good few hours ago…” Eren's face was pink; Armin had never seen him so flustered before and he found the sight to be highly amusing. Moments passed, and the darker haired boy spoke up again, “I…I really love her.” Eren turned to look Armin dead in the eye.

“I know.” Armin smiled softly, his tone no longer facetious.

“I actually asked her to stay with me. After this is all over, I mean.” Eren continued as a small smile etched across his face.

“Really? A marriage proposal?” Armin's voice conveyed his surprise.

“Yes, albeit.” Eren paused and ran a hand through his hair, “You know Armin, I never believed in soulmates or true love. Even after hearing your story about Annie. At first I thought your plan was ridiculous, I didn't think it was possible for everything to turn out the way it has. But after seeing you and Annie together again and after meeting Mikasa…”

“…You see that it is real.” Armin beamed. Eren nodded, “I'm glad.”

“Since I met her, my vengeful heart has mellowed. I'm still angry of course, I want justice. But revenge? Not so much.”

“Who do you have to thank?” Armin was smug again, the huge grin back on his face.

Eren playfully pushed his friend aside, almost knocking him off the bed.

“Hey!” Armin grabbed the bed sheets to save himself.

A faint laugh escaped Eren's mouth, “But, you're right. I wouldn't have been able to meet her if it wasn't for you. Thank you, Armin.”

Armin smiled, “You're welcome. Good night, Eren.”

“'night.”

* * *

**_Two weeks prior, St. Peter's Church, Munich, Bavaria,_ **

“She made it clear she would meet us here.” Reiner, a very fair, tall young man with a broad, muscular build stood by the church, waiting. He grew more impatient with every minute that passed the hour of 11 o'clock. “So why is it that she, along with the others she mentioned in her letter are nowhere to be seen?”

The other male, taller, leaner, with dark hair and a darker skin complexion stood by Reiner's side anxiously, “I'm worried, Reiner. What if something's happened to her?”

“Nothing's happened to Annie. She's stronger than that. I just don't know what the hell she was even thinking…running off with a lover? She must have gone mad.”

Bertolt frowned, “L-lover? She said an old friend, in the letter…” he mumbled almost to himself.

“I know you love her, Bert, but it's obvious. Why would she run off with a friend? And the phrasing in her letter made it seem otherwise. Think about it.”

“I don't want to think about it.”

The fair haired soldier looked at his wristwatch, “It's almost midnight.” Reiner grabbed the letter out from his pocket and scanned over it for the fifth time, just to be sure he wasn't missing anything, “I have no choice but to assume she has changed her mind. She's run off with all of them…she's betrayed us, along with her father and the Führer.”

“You c-can't jump to a conclusion like that so fast! Annie...she would never.” Bertolt piped up quickly in Annie's defence, clearly angered by Reiner's accusations.

Reiner grabbed the collar of Bertolt's uniform and pulled on it, “It may not seem like she would do something like this, but stop letting your feelings cloud your judgement. Yes, Annie was always dedicated, but did you ever detect a hint of passion in anything she ever did? She did what she did because she was told to. You know what her father is like.” The shorter male released his friend's collar and pushed him backwards, “And besides which fact, even her own father expressed his suspicions. Remember?”

Bertolt's mouth hung open slightly as he contemplated Reiner's words. “We can't go back without her.” he whispered several moments later.

“You're right. Her father will kill us.” Reiner rubbed at his temples, remembering the wrath that had incurred when he was shown the letter.

“ _You will bring her back immediately!” Annie's father threw the letter at the two males, causing Bertolt to flinch. It fell to the ground where Reiner bent down to retrieve it. “I can't believe she's been so foolish!” he screamed from across the desk and angrily banged his fists against the wood of the table._

“ _Yes sir. And what about this 'friend' of hers?” Reiner questioned while Bertolt stood timidly beside him._

“ _I want them both back here. Do your duty with others.”_

_Reiner nodded._

“ _Do you have any idea of who it is?” Reiner asked and watched as the older man's face contorted into a look of disgust._

“ _I have an idea, but I will deal with them personally when the time comes. Make sure that nobody finds out about this. Understood?”_

“ _Yes sir.” Both males spoke simultaneously._

“ _Even if she hands the others over, you make sure you get her back here.” Kommandant Leonhart stood from his desk and looked out of the window that overlooked the camp, “If word gets out, Annie could be in trouble. No daughter of mine will be an enemy of the fatherland.” He spoke with his back to the two younger soldiers, who both turned to each other with looks of concern reflected on their faces._

“ _Yes sir.” They repeated once more._

_With that, Kommandant Leonhart turned around to face them again, “Go now. I will hire a car for the both of you to get to Munich.”_

_Reiner and Bertolt nodded once more and saluted Kommandant Leonhart before leaving the room._

“We wait here another couple of hours. If there is no show, we ask around. A girl from East Asia is apparently accompanying them which means surely _someone_ around here would have seen.”

Bertolt nodded, “Do you think we made a mistake showing this letter to her father? After all, we went against her wishes. Annie didn't want him to see it…”

“No. She said so herself in the letter—he would figure out what she had done eventually. If we did not mention anything to him and he found out about the existence of this letter, we'd probably be shot.”

The darker haired man swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded his head meekly, “I don't understand why she would change her mind. If she's with enemies of our Führer, why would she— _”_

“I don't know. I can only assume this 'friend' or 'lover' of hers has had some kind of impact on her. It's obvious whoever it is turned up out of the blue, there were no indications Annie was seeing anyone beforehand.”

“I didn't think she liked anyone.” Bertolt's shoulders sloped and he looked downwards.

“Then again, if you think about it, what _do_ we know about Annie Leonhart? She very rarely talked about herself. She's a bit of mystery. I wonder if there is anyone who could possibly know anything…”

The soldiers thought about it for several moments, when something clicked with the taller of the two, “Hitch?” his tone sounded hopeful.

“Hitch Dreyse?” Reiner raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, Hitch Dreyse.” Bertolt clarified, “The two trained together, and I have seen them together several times…she may know something.”

“It's a good thing you were always watching Annie,” Bertolt blushed ever so slightly at Reiner's observation, “It is worth a shot, but her father made it explicitly clear not to mention this to anyone, I can only guess to protect his own reputation as well as Annie's.” he added.

“It's not like we have much of a choice, Reiner.” Bertolt spoke firmly.

“I suppose you are right. We will take the car back to Dachau and interrogate Fraulein Dreyse.” Reiner nodded to himself, “Oh, and Bert, when we find Annie, tell her how you feel. She may forget all about this traitor and come with us.”

“I…I can't.” Bertolt was almost trembling at the thought,

Reiner placed his hands on his friend's shoulders, “You can.”

“And what if we do find her and she doesn't want to come with us?” Bertolt added,

Reiner frowned and the crease of his mouth formed into a straight line, he removed his hands from the taller's shoulders, “Then we take her and the others by force as her father instructed us to do so. We must fulfill our duty and be loyal to our country. We are at war, remember that.” The taller man let out a quiet gasp. “I know how you feel about her, but she must be punished if she's betrayed us, if she is caught by someone else's hands she might be executed.”

Bertolt gave a quick nod and composed himself.

“You know, you're a lot taller when you stand up straight. You should hold yourself like that more often.” Reiner mentioned with a faint smile on his face.

“Right.” Bertolt replied as his stomach continued to twist over nervously, “May I see the letter once again?” he asked and Reiner handed it over.

_Dear Reiner and Bertolt,_

_I am leaving. I cannot explain everything now in this letter, but please do not tell father that I have gone. I know he will discover I am missing, but you must promise to pretend as if you know nothing. Most likely, he will send you both to come looking for me._

_I will tell you this and this only: I am with an old friend of mine. However he is acquainted with enemies of the Führer and our people. I cannot kill or arrest them because of reasons I would rather not go into. That being said, they need to be dealt with and I need you both to do that job for me. I will head for the German-Swiss border with them. I will make sure that we travel through Munich. You must meet me at St. Peter's Church in two days at 23:00. That is where you can arrest them, and afterwards do as you wish._

_When we meet, you must act like you do not know me. Please do not attempt to harm the blond boy who will be accompanying me, the ones you want are a boy with dark hair and a woman with an East Asian appearance. I will explain everything at a later date. I am sorry that this is so sudden, but I want you to know that my loyalties always lie with the Fatherland. My circumstances are just extremely complicated._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Annie._

The taller male shook as he held the letter, “She's not coming.” Bertolt concluded and crumpled the piece of paper with his large hands, “We will find her.”

“We must, or we can't go back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I am very sorry for taking forever to update, but here it is finally. I hope to be getting back on track with this fic from now on.
> 
> Reminder that reviews are always hugely appreciated!


	21. Chapter 21

**October 1944,**

Time at the cottage was relatively tranquil; Armin hadn't felt so content in years, or at least not before the start of the war. Perhaps everything had gone to his head, but he couldn't help but feel utterly happy. With every day that passed, the further any ill feelings were pushed to the back of his mind. It was just like Krista had said—the war just seemed so far away, though, _not_ non-existent. Extremely loud bomber planes were often heard flying over during both the night and day, disturbing the peace and quiet. Soldiers were seldom seen, but whenever Armin did come across a group of them in the village, it left him feeling uneasy knowing that if they were to find out about his heritage, or that his British friend, or runaway girlfriend were only a few kilometres away, they would all face terrible consequences.

Annie would frequently tell him not to go into the village and that Krista was perfectly capable of doing so when necessities such as bread and milk were needed. However, that did not sit well with Armin. He made it clear that it was only fair that he, along with herself and Mikasa should help out as much as possible. Of course it was not expected of Eren to go into the village alone, as he was still getting to grips with the language. When hearing Armin's words of protest, Annie became slightly agitated and complained that it was dangerous, _“You don't know the half of it.”_ she'd mutter, implying that Armin had no idea just how bad the Nazis really were (even though he was well aware), but she would eventually shrug it off, guessing that by now, her father along with Reiner and Bertolt would probably never find her.

If what the others had said about the war were true, surely her father would have more pressing matters to deal with and simply wouldn't have the time to go running after her. Though, that being said, the girl would often have nightmares about the worst case scenario. It got to the point where she was waking up at least three times a night almost in tears from the mere thought of losing Armin. The dreams all followed the same theme, where Armin was hurt or taken away from her and there was nothing she could do about it.

 _If only things had been different,_ she would think, but she knew she had to deal with it the way it was. That she wasn't really a good person, and that she had put Armin, along with his friends and two other innocents in danger because of her cowardice. _It wasn't just cowardice, though._ Her morals had been and still were completely askew, believing that the war was lost for all who opposed the Führer was a mistake and she realised that now. _“I was the weak going along with the flow, I had little choice.”_ Annie could come up with excuses all day, but in the end, nothing would ever be good enough. She was unworthy of Armin, but her selfishness kept her by his side. It was true there were moments when she almost forgot about her father and what she had done, moments when all she could think about was how in love she was. But those moments were short-lived. Annie couldn't forget her past or what she had done, and she wasn't even completely confident in thinking she had fooled Armin, either.

With the beginning of the new month, the peace Armin had seemingly found crumbled away. About a week into October on a cold evening just before the sun had set, the faint sound of what must have been one hundred voices was heard in the distance. The teens were settled down at the kitchen table, playing a game of cards after their meal. While the other's continued, either not noticing or ignoring the sounds, Annie panicked. The blonde placed her cards down on the surface of the table and Armin watched as her pale eyes widened.

“What's the matter?” he questioned worriedly. When the others noticed something was clearly wrong, they all put down their cards and looked to the blonde.

“We need to get out of here. _Now_.” Annie stood, grabbing the sleeve of Armin's shirt and pulling him up out of his seat.

“W-why?” he stuttered, fear stirring inside of him.

“Can't you hear them?” Annie was finding it difficult keeping her composure and nonchalant demeanour. There was urgency in her voice which alarmed the others.

Eren stood from the table, “Hear _what_ exactly?” he frowned at her, thinking that she must have gone mad or was just overly paranoid.

There was a moment of silence where nobody spoke or moved an inch, and before Annie could explain, Mikasa did so in her place,

“Soldiers,” she practically whispered, Armin could hear the dread in her voice, “It sounds like at least one hundred of them.”

A second later, Krista jumped out of her seat, “They're…they're not coming for us though, surely?”

Armin watched Annie from the corner of his eye, she was holding onto his sleeve so tightly that she had creased the fabric. Her hair was shielding her eyes again, but he could feel her tremble ever so slightly.

“They are mostly likely just passing through.” Mikasa tried to remain calm, her face impassive but there was something in the tone of her voice that gave away how nervous and uneasy she was feeling.

“They're getting closer.” Ymir stated as the voices became louder. They were singing in German as they marched, which almost sounded like some kind of chant.

“ _Armin_.” Annie turned to face him so that he could see her eyes, and all he could see was fear, “Please.”

The boy's mouth suddenly turned very dry and he nodded, “Lets hide out in the woods.” he furrowed his brows and exited the kitchen with Annie. Nobody hesitated to follow behind the two blonds and they ran into the woods, abandoning the cottage along with everything inside.

 _Did father send a small army after me?_ Annie took in a breath and pressed her back against a tree, she felt Armin wrap his warm yet clammy hand around hers and clasp firmly. _No,_ _I find it hard to believe he would send that many people to bring me back._ The girl exhaled and Armin watched her carefully. He said nothing, too afraid to even speak.

Annie swallowed and pulled her hand away from the boy's, placing it behind her back. He looked hurt by this action, and she wasn't able to look in his eyes as they filled with sadness and confusion, so instead she looked to her feet and focussed on her shoes. She couldn't stand to be touched by him at a time like this, when their lives could be in danger through the fault of her own.

“They're almost here.” Eren muttered anxiously as the sound of the soldier's voices were louder than ever.

They were chanting some kind of military march, something that only Annie seemed to recognise.

“What could this mean? Why are they here?” Krista whispered and Ymir quickly placed a hand over the small girl's mouth.

“Ssh.”

Annie's heart raged wildly against her chest, her blue eyes wide, watching, waiting.

“ _Eren_ , get down!” Mikasa ordered in a hushed whisper and the brunet obeyed, ducking down behind a bush.

The deep voices of the soldiers were merely metres from their hiding spot amongst the trees and flashes of their field-grey uniforms were spotted in between the nature.

Armin's breath hitched in his throat at the sight of the Nazi soldiers marching by; _what do they want?_ His stomach churned over and there was sweat on his forehead, causing his bangs to stick to the skin, _there's just so many of them…_

The blonde beside him froze, not even blinking as she waited to see what their goal was. She was incredibly anxious, and the ends of her fingertips stung with pins and needles. When she saw that the soldiers passed by the cottage, uninterested, a huge wave of relief washed over her.

“We're safe.” she mumbled, “But it makes me wonder. To see such a large group of soldiers, especially out here, can only mean the enemy must be on German soil.”

“The ' _enemy'_?” Armin turned to her with knitted brows, his mouth formed into a straight line. “What do you mean by that?” he questioned.

“…” Annie soon realised her mistake, it was a force of habit over the years, “You know that's not what I meant, Armin. I'm an enemy of the German people now, too.” she quickly spoke, “I'm sorry.”

Armin looked her straight in the eye and he knew that she wasn't lying, her heart was against the evils of the Nazi regime…but there was just _something_ present in her crystal-like eyes that left him feeling uneasy. Old qualms resurfaced in a flash and he felt his heart slowly sink into the pit of his stomach.

Annie saw that look on his face; she knew she had lost his trust, if she even had it in the first place.

“I guess it is safe for us to go back inside the cottage,” Ymir stood up from her positon on the grass, “It was a false alarm.”

“Looks like it, the fucking bastards were just passing by—scared us shitless for nothing.” Eren added and brushed himself off.

“Perhaps they are heading into Munich.” Mikasa commented, speculating out-loud why such a huge group of soldiers were crossing the Bavarian countryside.

“It looks like it.” Armin breathed a sigh of relief, “But it is always better to be safe than sorry.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and began to stumble their way through the woods, back to the cottage. When they reached the door, Armin turned back to find Annie lingering by the edge of the woods, hesitant to follow inside.

“Annie, are you coming?” the boy questioned, feeling worry creep up on him again at the girl's odd behaviour.

“I don't feel like going inside just yet.” she replied bluntly, but her answer didn't satisfy the blond. He wouldn't just leave her out in the cold alone.

He approached her quickly after informing Eren that he'd be in in a sec. “Don't be silly, it's cold out here.” he smiled at her like he always did, but she knew he was sceptical and there really wasn't much more of this she could take. “What's the matter? Are you scared? Or upset over what you said earlier?” the boy stepped forward, closing the space between them.

Annie didn't respond for a moment or two, but when she eventually did, the words that came out of her mouth made little sense to the teenager, “I do not wish for you to hate me, Armin…I couldn't bare it.” She looked him directly in the eye, no longer trying to hide away from him.

Armin paused for a moment, not knowing what to say. “I could never hate you.” he told her firmly and caressed the side of her face, “Now what's wrong? What is it that you need to get off of your chest? Because I _know_ there's something.”

Annie took in a sharp breath, “You're right.”

The boy's eyes widened for a second but he quickly composed himself, “Go on.”

Annie closed her eyes briefly, “I've done a terrible thing, Armin. I'm afraid I'm really not the good person you fell in love with all those years ago, and the reason I have been holding back from telling you this is because I fear that it will be the end for us, that you will finally see the true me. Even if I have done everything I can to put things right, it will never change the fact that I've betrayed you.”

“What do you mean?” Armin tried to remain poised but he couldn't hide the quake in his voice. “ _What_ did you do?”

“I'm sorry, Armin.” at that point, Annie turned her eyes away and the boy's heart beat escalated, “I,” she took in another sharp breath before proceeding to tell him the truth. It was an insult to his intelligence to keep up this game of lies; she could no longer deceive him, “I left a note behind with me the night I left with you.”

Armin's eyes were already watering and as the sun set behind the couple, they shimmered. He didn't speak and waited for her to explain. He waited for her to break his heart.

“I never wanted to hurt _you_ , it was just your friends I wasn't so sure about.” By this point, even Annie's composure was cracking before him. There were tears shining in her own eyes and she trembled fearfully. “I wrote to my father's underlings, I told them to meet me in Munich, and there…” She paused for a moment, half wishing she'd kept it all quiet, but at the same time knowing she couldn't do that to the boy, “There they would arrest Eren and Mikasa and we would run away together alone, all while making it seem like I was not affiliated with either of them.”

Armin stood frozen, unable to speak, unable to even think. All he could hear was his own heart thumping erratically in his hears, while a heavy feeling weighed down on his chest. Tears were already streaming down his face without him even realising it, and upon seeing him cry, Annie reached up to wipe them away with her hand. He saw her hand reach up, which alerted him back to reality and before she could touch him, he took hold of her hand to stop her. Disappointment, disgust and pure sorrow were all he could focus on. Before Annie said anything else, Armin ran off leaving her with her own tears.

* * *

“Where's Armin?” Annie heard Eren's voice from the kitchen as she proceeded to make her way hurriedly up the stairs while hiding the flood of tears that were pouring from her eyes. She ignored the brunet even after he continued yelling at her using that particularly annoying nickname he'd coined, _“Hey Shortie! Don't ignore me!”_

The girl had never felt so terrible in her life. She sat herself down on top of the bed and grabbed a pen and paper, using her suitcase as a rest and began to think of what to put in the letter she was about to write. A few tears fell onto the paper leaving water marks, but she soon composed herself enough to be able to write without destroying the paper.

 _I've ruined everything,_ the blonde thought bitterly to herself, _if only I hadn't been so foolish in the first place, to think that we could work. We can't have a happy ending, not after everything, not after all of the years that passed by. I've only prolonged his suffering._

_Dear, Armin,_

_I am so sorry for everything. I know that I am a failure in many ways: I have failed in being a soldier, a friend, a daughter, but most importantly I failed to be a good person to you, and that is what I regret the most. I have and always will love you, but I do not belong with you. That is why, for the sake of yourself and your friends, I will return to my father. I do not want to do this, but I no longer want to be selfish. Perhaps fate will be kinder to us in another life?_

_If somehow, you do not hate me by this point, then I am once again truly sorry for leaving you, but you will see that it is for the best. Please look after yourself and leave Germany as soon as possible. I will say it once more, that I am truly, from the bottom of my heart sorry for everything, I know I cannot put it right but I have tried my best to make sure that you and your friends will be safe._

_Goodbye, Armin,_

_Love, Annie_

Annie quickly sealed the letter before she had the chance to hesitate and rip it apart. Even if she remained at the cottage, things looked bleak. The look on Armin's face before he ran off said it all. What she had done was unforgiveable and now she would punish herself by going back to where she belonged—with her father. She wasn't even sure what would be in store for her when she got back, but she was willing to go down with it all. Annie had no more faith in the regime and without Armin in her life there really wasn't anything to live for.

When Mikasa entered the bedroom about an hour later, the blonde pretended to be asleep.

“Armin's returned.” The Asian spoke quietly. Annie didn't stir and kept up her act of pretending to be fast asleep, she couldn't face any of them, especially not Armin. Mikasa didn't stick around for too long and after several moments she closed the door behind her and went back down stairs. Perhaps the others would be suspicious that something was up, but it didn't even matter as Annie planned to leave during the night and would never see any of them ever again.

“It's for the best.” she mumbled, reassuring herself that it was the right decision.

With that thought, the girl drifted off. When she woke again, Mikasa was fast asleep and the house was quiet. It was time for her to depart, and she very quietly packed her few belongings and headed off downstairs. Before leaving the cottage, she placed the letter on top of the kitchen table to ensure that Armin would find it first thing tomorrow morning. It was a bitter farewell, but that's what she believed she deserved.

_At least I had the chance to be happy for just a little while, and I was able to see his smile once again._

* * *

Armin woke suddenly after hearing the sound of a door closing. He wasn't even sure if he had been dreaming or not and it was raining, heavily at that, so he considered that maybe it was just his imagination. But, the boy couldn't shake off an incredibly terrible feeling of uneasiness, the feeling that something was awfully wrong. He already felt heartbreak and misery, but this other feeling was so strong that it led him to get out of bed and go downstairs.

His eyes were slightly swollen from all the silent tears he had shed before falling asleep earlier that night, and it was almost pitch black downstairs. Naturally, he was drawn to the room that was lit up by a natural source of light. The light of the moon filtered through into the kitchen and that's where he discovered the piece of paper folded in half, with his name written on the top.

Armin immediately got a bad feeling about it, knowing full well what the content of the letter was and who had written it. Nevertheless, he opened it and his blue eyes scanned over Annie's scrawl. As the contents of the letter sunk in, he felt his entire being crumble. He panicked, his heart thumping so hard he felt as though it would kill him if it went any faster. No matter what Annie Leonhart had done, he couldn't lose her. He couldn't be separated from her.

Without further thought, the teen grabbed his boots and ran off into the night. The rain was coming down in buckets and the wind was howling and blowing the icy water into the boy's face, but he just kept running.

_I'll find her, no matter what._

Going by logic, he ran in the direction he believed Munich to be in and kept going. “Annie!” he called out, “ANNIE!”

The boy was never fit to begin with and after running a distance, he started to struggle for a breath. It was so dark and he could barely see a thing, the only thing lighting up the fields was the moon that guided him through the rain. He knew that she couldn't be that far, he had heard the door after all, concluding at this point that he hadn't just dreamt it. Keeping that in mind, he persevered despite his voice becoming hoarse from screaming the girl's name so much.

His heart skipped a beat and stomach flipped over when in the not so far distance at the bottom of a hill he saw the outline of a small woman wearing a scarf over her head and clutching a suitcase.

“ANNIE!” he shouted and ran faster than he had ever in his entire life.

Hearing Armin's voice, Annie was startled but was certain that it must have been her imagination. That was until the voice got louder and she turned around only to see the blond fool, soaking wet, running towards her. The girl immediately dropped her case and froze.

“Annie, Annie!” Armin embraced her with strength she didn't know he was capable of, “Don't go, please. Please don't leave!” he cried and clutched her tight, almost lifting her off of the ground.

At that moment, Annie began to sob uncontrollably onto the boy's shoulder and returned the embrace by wrapping her arms around his waist.

“I love you and I can't lose you no matter what! Even if you did do something terrible, you're not one of _them_ , I know that. Your heart…it's not bad…” Armin's voice cracked and he cried harder.

“I'm so sorry.” was all Annie could muster.

“I know, I know.” Armin mumbled and pulled back from the embrace only to look at the girl's face, “Just, don't leave.” he said again and all Annie could do was nod.

The boy cupped her face and kissed her hard, as if to say he would never let go. Annie kissed back feverishly, clueless to how she could run away from true love.

“I'm sorry, Armin…” she spoke between breaths, “I'm really sorry.”

Armin kissed her again, the sadness in his heart still there, but almost overridden with the relief of being able to see her again after reading her letter of farewell.

“I can't help but love you. I've loved you all my life.” he finally said and removed wet strands of blonde hair from her face.

“I was just…so confused, about it everything. No, that's no excuse really; I know I can't excuse myself for this…”

“You did a bad thing…but you're not a bad person. And most importantly, you realised that.”

“Armin…”

“For now, I am happy with you just saying you will come back to the cottage.” Armin said with a sigh.

Annie looked down at the silver ring on her finger and back up to Armin, she gave him a nod, and feeling relief he smiled.

“You will catch a cold if we stand out here any longer.” Annie stated and seconds later, the boy sneezed.

“I think it's already too late.”

“I'm sorry.”

When they made it back to the cottage both dripping wet, Annie placed her case down and was about to go upstairs when Armin stopped her.

“We shouldn't disturb the others, but you should get out of your clothes before you also catch a cold.” he said innocently, but Annie couldn't help but flush pink at his choice of words. When he realised that he could have phrased himself a little differently, he blushed bright red and sneezed again, “I…d-didn't mean it in that way.” he quickly rushed and wiped his nose with his sleeve.

Annie said nothing in return, but instead of heading upstairs to change, she pulled him closer and kissed him again. Her fingers found their way to his chest and began unbuttoning the shirt of his pyjamas; Armin flushed again and removed the scarf from her head so that he could run a hand through her hair. When Armin's shirt was discarded carelessly on the floor, Annie ran her cold hand down his chest, causing goosebumps to form over his skin. Armin's breathing was already heavy from just that and Annie guided him onto the sofa where he could lay back.

They continued kissing each other rather passionately, now with Annie on top, trailing her long fingers across Armin's collar bone and chest. Heat was rushing to certain places and Armin's mind was clouding over because of her touch. But just as he started to work on Annie's shirt, an unfamiliar noise made them both jump.

Annie shot up quick, only to find Krista standing at the foot of the stairs.

“Oh.” the girl quickly composed herself, whilst Armin turned beet-red.

“I'm sorry…I was just coming down to get a glass of water.” Krista couldn't maintain eye-contact with Annie, who, although was embarrassed didn't show it in the slightest.

“It's okay. We were just going to bed.” Annie replied quietly and moved off of the boy.

Feeling strangely frustrated _and_ embarrassed, Armin quickly grabbed his shirt and fumbled with the buttons in a rush to put it back on, even though it was still wet and uncomfortable.

Krista smiled awkwardly but when her eyes fell upon the suitcase lying on the ground, the smile fell from her face for less than a second and her doll like features looked confused and concerned. She didn't pry, as it wasn't really her style and after that she made sure to fetch her water as quick as possible and head back upstairs.

“Do you think we woke her? Were we being too loud?” Armin's face was still rather red.

Annie shook her head, “No, but I think we should go to sleep before someone else sees us, don't you?”

Armin nodded, “Before we do, promise me something.” The teen's expression was suddenly serious,

“Anything.”

“Never leave me again.”

“I won't. I promise.”


	22. Chapter 22

**October 1944,**

Ymir grumbled and sighed as she rolled over to face her girlfriend with sleepy eyes, 

“Come back to bed.” she mumbled lazily at the girl standing by the door.

She nodded quickly and slipped back into bed with the darker haired female, not saying a word until Ymir spoke up again, 

“That’s much better.” in one swift action, Ymir flipped over so that she was on top of the petite blonde, pinning her down against the mattress and completely surprising the girl with her sudden spark of energy. Ymir hovered above her for a moment or two and Historia took in a breath, waiting for whatever she had in mind. 

Ymir began by leaving a trail of light kisses along Historia’s jaw, then moving below, onto her neck. This instantly caused the girl’s breath to hitch in her throat and Ymir smirked against her soft skin, knowing exactly how to please the small female beneath her. 

Historia slowly released the breath she had been holding, “Ymir, aren’t you tired?” she asked, a coy smile forming on her face as Ymir continued with her ministrations.

“Not anymore.” Ymir muttered against Historia’s neck and the girl giggled. She left several more kisses, but nothing that would leave any marks. Ymir hated staining her skin and refused even when Historia was left begging for more. She was against tainting the girl’s body with bruises. Historia on the other hand, had no qualms about leaving a love bite or two on Ymir. Before Historia could take charge of the situation that was quickly unfolding Ymir spoke again, “I do hope you’re not thinking about telling them your real name.” 

Her words were sudden, making the girl frown “…Not just yet.” she mumbled and her eyes met the sheets. 

“You can’t, you know that. Not until the war is over, at least…” Ymir took Historia’s face between her hands and directed her to look at her. “And even then, this world is not kind to people like us.”

“Where’s this coming from all of a sudden?” Historia smiled, “There’s no need to worry. They are our friends. I can agree with you on the last comment, but we will be fine, I’m sure of it. Maybe after the war, people will see the good in all things and become more accepting of everyone.” 

“You’re cute, Historia. The reality is I doubt we will see that kind of acceptance in our life time,” Ymir sighed, “And what I mean is that I can see they are your friends now, you trust them. It’s just not in my nature to trust people.” She paused for a moment only to caress the girl’s cheek softly as if to comfort her, “I’m not saying they are bad people. I’m saying you need to be careful, or you’ll end up like that Annie and it will be the end for us.”

“I just want to try and convince myself that things will get better, I’m not really innocent…” Historia’s voice was just slightly above a whisper, “My naivety is nothing but an act.”

Ymir frowned deeply at Historia’s words, knowing them to be true, “I know, I know.” she mumbled in response and continued to caress the girl’s cheek. 

Historia was silent for another minute or so before biting her lip, hesitating on whether or not to open her mouth, “I think something happened tonight.” she went ahead, feeling as though she may as well speak her mind while the topic was on her new friends who she had foolishly or not let reside in their home, “I mean, between Armin and Annie…” she continued, “I was quite worried.”

“Something suspicious?” Ymir questioned in a low voice, raising an eyebrow. 

Historia bit her lip before proceeding, “When I saw them they were kissing downstairs, nothing strange. They were embarrassed when they noticed me… but before I left, my eye caught a suitcase by the door and it made me wonder if she had tried to leave in the night.” 

“I can’t imagine why she would want to leave, unless she’s a traitor.”

“I don’t want to think that of her.” 

“We’re at war, we can’t think kindly of everyone; if anything, we should treat strangers as the enemy before we treat them as friends. But, in any case, I’ll keep a closer eye on her from now on.” 

“I’m sure it’s nothing after all.” Historia let out a sigh, regretting mentioning it in the first place. 

“If you truly thought that, you wouldn’t have told me.” 

“Hmph.” a mixture of irritation and sadness swam in Historia’s doll-like eyes,

“It’s true, you know it.” Ymir continued and added, “Don’t look at me that way.” 

“You won’t mention anything, though, right?” Historia fretted, not wanting to disturb the peace in the cottage by putting distrust into the air. 

“I will keep my mouth shut, but I can’t and won’t have anyone take you away from me. I will do anything to protect you and to keep you by my side.” 

“Please don’t worry too much.” Historia suddenly lurched forward and embraced Ymir. 

Ymir sighed softly and remained quiet, in an attempt to comfort her, she ran her fingers through Historia’s blonde locks and the girl rested her head against her shoulder, remaining interlocked in a strong embrace. 

* * *

Several days after Annie’s confession, the relationship was still somewhat strained, to say the least. Annie, felt awkward and doubted she deserved to be forgiven. Armin was still hurt and she could see that in his eyes whenever they interacted. He remained close to her, giving her goodnight kisses and holding her in the evenings. A kiss she believed she wasn’t good enough for and an embrace she was unworthy of. The boy picked up on her self-loathing very quickly but he wasn’t sure he could say anything that would make her feel even remotely better. He loved her, there was no doubt about that, but her deceit had left him feeling as though a knife had been plunged into his soul. At the same time, he was thankful she was still there with him and that they had not been separated once again. 

“Whose turn is it to get the firewood?” Ymir addressed, throwing the question out there. Of course, nobody was thrilled at the idea of going out into the cold and lugging large chunks of wood back to the cottage, but it had to be done otherwise they would all freeze, “Krista is cooking, so it will have to be someone else.”

However that evening, Armin was keen to escape the cottage. “I’ll go.” He spoke and stood from his seat, “Annie would you like to accompany me?” 

Annie nodded without a word and Eren snickered quietly, apparently under the impression that the two were probably going to get up to no good considering how quickly Armin offered to do the mundane task. Truth was, Armin needed the fresh air and he wanted to be completely alone with the girl just for a little, banking on maybe being able to talk out their problems a little more. Armin knew Annie wasn’t much of a talker, though, so he wasn’t about to get his hopes up. Both blonds ignored Eren’s snickering and left the cottage after grabbing their coats. It was late in the afternoon so it was already beginning to turn cold, but it wasn’t going to be dark for another hour or so. 

“You sure you’re alright to come?” Armin questioned her. He knew Annie disliked feeling cold, and for a strong girl, she seemed to feel it more than others. He too despised it, mostly because this kind of weather gave him terrible colds, yet, for some reason he was always fond of snow. 

“I’m fine. I want to be with you, anyway.” Annie spoke quietly without looking up at the boy. 

Armin laughed softly, “That’s good. I wouldn’t want you to hate me for dragging you out from the warmth of the cottage.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Annie replied bluntly, eyes glued to the ground. 

“Your hair looks nice.” Armin commented and he saw the faintest of smiles form on Annie’s face. 

“Thank you.” Annie brought a hand up to touch the strands, “Krista insisted, so I let her.” 

“Krista did your braids? She’s definitely got a talent for it.” Armin smiled down at her sweetly. 

“I’m not very good myself. I’ve had short hair for most of my life. Father never let me grow it out and he was hell-bent on me having it tied back all of the time for some reason.” 

“You can do what you want with it now that you’re away from that controlling man.” Armin spoke, bitterness finding its way into his tone of voice. 

“I quite like it short, but you’re right. I don’t have to have it tied back so forcefully.” It was quiet between the two for several minutes until Annie spoke up again, “I can’t help but think that a small part of you resents me for what I’ve done.” she looked at him for the first time since they left the cottage. 

Her words were out of the blue and Armin’s heart flickered, “No,” he said quickly, “But, I am still hurt. Hurt because you wanted to bring harm to two people who I love dearly, two people who helped me to find you. They wanted to meet you almost as much as I and it pains me to think about it too much.” 

“I don’t think that an apology will ever be enough to heal these wounds.” Annie’s expression looked pained and Armin knew how much this was hurting her as she was unable to even maintain her usual look of nonchalance. 

“It’s done now. We can’t go back in time and change things. I’m glad you could be honest with me, Annie. I’m happy you found the good in yourself and changed your mind.”

“It had a hold of me.” She paused momentarily as if reflecting back on the past years, watching them flash by, “but I’ve broken free and it’s all down to you.” Annie paused for a moment, as if she had second thoughts over whether or not to continue, “And honestly,” there was a slight tremor in her voice as she spoke, “After you left, I was always alone. Don’t get me wrong, it was a choice. I preferred it that way, I wasn’t interested in other people and I thought becoming close to anyone else would only bring pain. At first, when I met Eren and Mikasa, I thought it would be impossible to befriend two people so different to me, but I think I can call them friends now, despite everything.” 

Armin could see a tint of rose in Annie’s cheeks and he smiled contently, “They feel the same way about you.” 

The two teens collected a decent amount of wood before heading back to the cottage just before sunset. When they got back, they were instantly greeted with the smell of food. They never had a lot of food, it was barely enough to go around, but when Krista put together a meal, it always tasted delicious. It seemed like the girl really had a knack for making simple things like cabbage and potatoes taste more interesting—like something reminiscent of the kind of foods they all ate as children, food that was available only before the war began. The rations were harsh; it seemed like forever since anyone had eaten any form of meat. 

Almost as soon as they got in, a fire was lit and the two joined Eren and Mikasa at the table. The darker haired teens were engrossed in a game of cards but once the boy noticed Armin’s presence he grinned. Armin didn’t respond, instead he looked around the room in search for the only person who was absent. 

“Where’s Ymir?” he questioned, still looking around the room as if expecting the woman to appear from somewhere. 

“She went out,” Krista smiled, “She’s going to try and bring back a surprise for us all.”

“A surprise?” Eren’s interest spiked, “What kind of surprise?” 

“Well Eren, if I told you that, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Besides, I don’t want to get your hopes up too much.”

“Alright.” he whined.

“Let’s focus on finishing this game, Eren.” Mikasa prompted and the boy nodded, though he was still clearly distracted. His imagination was running wild at the thought of a treat.

Armin couldn’t quite hide his curiosity either, he met Krista’s eye to see if he could get a subliminal hint, but all he received was a wink and she returned to preparing their meal. Annie said nothing, but she too felt some kind of excitement bubbling inside of her. 

_A train ticket out of the country is probably wishful thinking_ , she thought to herself, _by this point I’m sure the majority of the country’s railway tracks have been destroyed_ , _anyway._ The girl was still uneasy about hiding away at the cottage, terrified at the thought of being found by the authorities, or worse, her _father_. 

It wasn’t long before Krista was setting the table, Eren and Mikasa’s card game was over and Ymir entered the kitchen—almost going completely unnoticed as nobody heard the door go. That was all part of Ymir’s trick and charm. When her presence became known, everyone in the room turned to the young woman, who was wearing men’s clothing, including a hat that covered most of her dark hair. 

“You’re back!” Krista approached Ymir and placed a quick kiss on the taller female’s cheek, “So…did you manage to get it?” although she whispered it, everyone in the room’s ears were pricked.

Ymir’s face erupted into a grin, “Its outside. Lugging that thing all the way back here was hard work, I can tell you that for nothing.” 

“You weren’t seen by anyone, were you?” Krista questioned worriedly but Ymir hushed her, 

“Of course not…Are you forgetting that I come from a family of Gypsies?” Ymir winked at the girl and Krista simply laughed, 

“Why not ask Eren to help you bring it in?” 

Ymir’s amber coloured eyes flashed to the brunet, “Yeah, come on Eren. A big strong man like yourself can help me bring this in.” 

Eren’s eyes widened, “Sure. Just what is it?” he stood from the table with an apprehensive look on his face. 

“You’ll see.”

Armin and Mikasa briefly glanced at each other as Eren left the room to help Ymir with whatever she had managed to bring back. The blond raised his brows and Mikasa simply shrugged. 

“How on Earth did you—!?” Eren’s exclaims could be heard even from outside, “How did you get this?” 

“It wasn’t exactly easy….let’s put it that way.” Ymir’s reply could be heard along with the struggle of bringing a huge wooden barrel, filled to the brim, into the cottage’s kitchen. 

Annie, who had not spoken as much as a word since returning, turned to see what was causing all the ruckus. She found it difficult to get excited over anything, knowing that a war was going on and little was available. However, when she caught sight of the barrel, her crystal-like eyes widened in pure shock. 

“Where did that come from?” the blonde couldn’t quite disguise the surprise in her voice. 

“I’m wondering the same thing,” Eren said, buzzing. 

Armin blinked, “Is that…alcohol?” he questioned in disbelief. 

“No, it’s apple juice.” Ymir responded sarcastically and rolled her eyes, but there was a smile present on her lips. 

“I’m assuming that is stolen goods?” The Asian girl spoke up in an almost disapproving manner. 

Krista’s cheeks grew rosy red, “Well…” 

“Try not to dwell on that fact too much.” Ymir cut in, “Eren, help me open this and can someone prepare the glasses?”

Mikasa looked on awkwardly for a moment, recalling her not-so-distant past. Stealing for survival was one thing, but stealing things for the hell of it was another. Though, in her time, she was certain Levi had stolen items with no intention of selling them, so, she found herself in no place to make judgement. The Asian stood up and fetched enough glasses for all of them, placing them down on the table along with the food that was still piping hot. Meanwhile, Eren went to help Ymir crack open the barrel. 

Armin and Annie looked at each other in bewilderment. The boy’s face was filled with a toothy grin and there was a light in his blue eyes. His eyes always shone whenever he was passionate or excited over something, a trait that the girl found incredibly endearing. 

When everyone's glasses were full, Eren took a rather large gulp from his and wiped away the foam that was left on top of his lips, “If my mother was around to see me drinking this, she'd give me a clip around the ear.”

“I second that.” Armin laughed.

“It’s only beer. Beer to us is like vodka to the Russians. In other words, water.” Annie commented, causing Armin to giggle. Though that being said, it wasn’t like her father would have allowed her to drink it either. Ironically, the man was a heavy drinker himself. The girl had many unpleasant memories from her early teens of her father returning from work completely intoxicated. He was angry and frightening, even more so than when he was sober. Those were the times when she really wished she had a mother around. 

Armin took a sip, his face wrinkling up obviously in mild distaste for the beverage, the blonde opposite him smiled, finding his expression amusing. 

“It’s not really like how I imagined it would be, but I’m not complaining.” he smiled and took another slow sip. 

Eren chugged more of it down while Mikasa’s grey eyes watched him carefully and sceptically, “Be sensible, Eren.” 

“I am, Mika, come on and join us.” he passed the Asian’s glass onto Ymir, “You too, Annie.” Eren’s turquoise eyes met the blonde’s crystal ones and then to her empty glass, beckoning her to fill it. 

“It’s best you drink with your meal.” Krista said, all the while filling both Annie and Mikasa’s glasses and topping up Eren’s. 

“But darling, I didn’t go through all this trouble for everyone to remain painfully sober tonight.” Ymir winked and filled up her own glass. The woman then sat down at the table and lifted her glass into the air, “Prost!” 

Everyone rose their glasses, clanking them together while repeating the phrase. They then began to eat, enjoying the privilege that had been bestowed upon them. 

“Thank you so much, Ymir for the beer.” Armin thought to say, “And you too, Krista for the meal and everything else you’ve given us. I know I’ve said it before but I’m sincerely thankful for you letting us all stay here.” The boy truly believed the girl was some kind of god send, for being so kind in these dark times. 

Annie kept her eyes on the boy opposite for several more moments before speaking up herself, “I know I usually tend to go unspoken but I wanted to express how thankful I am to you both as well.” Her eyes flickered quickly to Ymir and Krista then to Eren and Mikasa before meeting the table. She could feel Armin’s smile on her as she continued to eat and when she looked up to take a sip from her beer she flashed him her own. 

By the end of the evening, both Eren and Armin were thoroughly drunk. Mikasa thought she would be slightly irritated by this, but the beer must have gone straight to her head as well as she couldn’t seem to keep her hands off of the boy. 

The Asian girl’s hands trailed over Eren’s leg and up his back, all while a red alcohol induced flush was spread across her usually pale face, giving her a rosy complexion. Eren couldn’t stop grabbing her thighs and leaning in to kiss her cheek. On the opposite side of the table, Armin had moved beside Annie and was blabbering on about god knows what, while a practically sober Annie listened in amusement. 

“Jesus Christ, I haven’t felt this good in fucking ages!” Eren shouted while grabbing his empty glass, 

“Eren, you are drunk.” A more sober Mikasa spoke calmly and tried to get him to settle, 

“I am not!”

“You both are.” Annie deadpanned. 

“Right, well I think I’m going to clean up…” Krista chuckled at the sight and began gathering up the plates. 

“Perhaps you two,” Ymir looked to Eren and then his blond friend, “Should call it a night.” 

“No way! The night is still young.” Armin laughed and used his elbows to prop himself up, no longer even able to sit up straight. 

“I think she’s right, Armin…” Annie snickered, “You only had two beers and you’re already on the brink of collapse.” 

“I’m fine!” Armin leaned in closer and Annie’s heart-rate spiked. 

“I bet you can’t even walk in a straight line right now.” 

“Of course I can.” Armin looked childishly offended at Annie’s comment. 

“Try it.” 

The blond shakily stood from his seat and stumbled several times before falling over causing everyone in the room to laugh. The boy’s vision was spinning and he thought he’d be sick until he saw Annie standing above him, reaching out a hand. 

“Come on, I’ll take you upstairs.” she said softly with little expression on her face. 

The two left to go upstairs with the sound of Eren still cackling in the background. Armin threw his arm over Annie’s shoulders, resting against her as they made their way to his bedroom, “This should probably be the other way around.” Annie smiled and Armin blushed. 

“Y-yeah…I feel a fool.” 

“Sit down,” Annie ordered and he plopped down on top the bed, “It’s because you’ve never drank before, so it’s natural.” she said, taking a seat beside him. 

“Eren seemed fine…” Armin turned to the side a little, hiding his face in shame. 

“You can't be serious? He’s worse than you. Didn’t you see how they had their hands all over each other?” 

At that, Armin turned to face Annie, “Eren and Mikasa?”

“Who else?” 

“Ymir and Krista are affectionate, too.” 

“Yes, but they weren’t intoxicated.”

It was dark in the room, but once the boy’s eyesight adjusted to the lighting, he couldn’t help but stare straight into Annie’s light blue eyes.

“I don’t want to say anything stupid, not while I’m in this state. You should go to sleep, my sweet Annie.” 

“That’s very wise of you, Arlert.” Annie let out a quiet chuckle, “I will say goodnight.” the girl hesitated slightly before placing a light kiss on the blond’s cheek. Just as she stood to leave the boy in the darkness, he grabbed her arm and stood up, tripping and nearly falling again. 

Before Annie could warn him about the dangers of moving too quickly in his current condition, he captured her lips in a kiss. 

“Easy there.” she whispered into the embrace, “It’s not the first time you’ve demanded a proper kiss goodnight.”

The boy’s cheeks reddened, “I couldn’t resist.” 

“Well, I’m flattered, really I am, Armin.” Annie couldn’t contain her smile, “But I think you _really_ need to sleep now. So does Jaeger for that matter.” 

Armin nodded sheepishly, “Goodnight Fraulein Leonhart.” 

“Goodnight, Armin.” 

* * *

**_One week ago, Dachau, Bavaria_ **

“Kommandant, we’ve…” Bertolt’s bottom lip quivered as he addressed his intimidating senior. Sweat poured from his face uncontrollably and he moved only to adjust the collar of his uniform to ease some of his discomfort. The tall young man was about to proceed, only to have Reiner reluctantly continue where he left off, 

“…We’ve been unsuccessful in finding your daughter.” Reiner frowned heavily and looked down, “I’m sorry.” 

A harrowing silence followed. Kommandant Leonhart stood from his desk and turned his back to both Reiner and Bertolt; the man just stared out of the window for several moments before turning around, red in the face and spitting as he shouted at the young soldiers in an almost insane manner, “I gave you _one_ task! One simple fucking task and you useless buffoons couldn’t even do that.” The man sent all of his paperwork flying as he knocked it off in rage. 

“We did however, find out some information from a reliable source.” Reiner piped up, feeling pathetic for fearing the furious man who stood before him. 

“Well go on then!” Leonhart shouted, exasperated. 

“Our suspicions were correct, Annie left with a lover. Only problem is, we do not know where her whereabouts are now. However, the contents of this letter are undeniably true. She is travelling with another two people who met this description.” 

“Tell me something new you bastards!” Annie's father was fuming, “I know exactly who she is with. I’ll have you know the boy’s a Jew.”

“W-what?” Bertolt’s eyes widened, “How do you know this, sir?”

“That doesn’t matter.” The older man began rummaging through one of the drawers to his desk, several seconds later he pulled out a cigar and lit it up. 

“Look, I don’t know what you want us to do!” Reiner was becoming agitated and increasingly anxious, “There is no trace of Annie, for all we know she might have left the country by now.”

The man's face scrunched up in anger and his piercing blue eyes shot Reiner a glare so terrifying that he almost soiled himself, “I'm not going to stand here and listen to this load of crap. I _want_ you to get back out there and find my daughter. You've got her picture, show it around. The boy's name is Armin Arlert. I have records on him up to 1937 when he left the country with his parents and grandfather.”

“Is that all the information you can give us?” 

“It should be enough—you’re in the SS for fuck sake, if the pair of you hadn’t wasted all this time she would be back by now and that Jew would be in my hands. Now I’m asking you one more time, bring Annie back.”

“We will do our best, sir.” Bertolt nodded. By this point he was almost completely drenched in sweat. 

“Good. Don’t bother coming back to me until you’ve found her, if you can't do this, I'll have to go after her myself.” Kommandant Leonhart took another pull from his cigar and spitefully blew the smoke into the young men’s faces, “Now get out, you’re both a disgrace.”

Reiner and Bertolt gave the man a curt nod and promptly left the room, closing the door behind them. 

“And Annie’s not…” Reiner muttered under his breath, 

“What do you mean?” Bertolt replied, still shaky from their encounter with despicable man. 

“A disgrace? She ran away! She abandoned her country!” Reiner paused momentarily to take out a cigarette from his pocket and light it up, “I say, if we don't find her we're going to have to do a runner as well.”

“We can’t.” 

“We're fucked, Bert.” Reiner rubbed his temples as they exited the headquarters, “We have all but a name and a picture to go by.”

“We’ll find her.” Bertolt tightened his fists, “I’ll die before I give up finding Annie.” 


	23. Chapter 23

**October 1944,**

**_Two days ago, Dachau, Bavaria_ **

The sound of gravel crunching under rolling tires could be heard as Reiner pulled up in a staff car with Bertolt riding beside him in the passenger seat. The two soldiers in their early twenties stepped out of the vehicle several moments later, both holding stern expressions on their young faces. They closed the doors of the car with two harsh thuds and the shorter blond began to walk briskly towards the front door, while the taller and thinner soldier trailed closely behind. When he reached the door, Reiner removed a black leather glove before leaving three firm knocks and stepping back as he waited for an answer. When there was no response after several moments he knocked again, this time harder. 

“Maybe she's not here,” Bertolt suggested quietly, but the shorter male quickly shook his head,

“She's in. There's smoke coming from the chimney.”

Bertolt looked up and lo and behold he could see the grey smoke, signalling that someone was in fact, inside.

By this point, Reiner was understandably lacking any form of patience due to all the pressure he was under. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take,

_Fighting for the fatherland and the Führer is one thing, but now I'm running after the General's runaway daughter, who is nothing but a traitor. Even If she was once our friend and ally, I don't see why I have to do this. Surely if he really cared about Annie, he would have done this duty himself! But then there's Bertolt who is in love with her…_

“We know you're inside, Fraulein Dreyse!” Reiner shouted in a sudden outburst, banging his fists against the door and startling the young woman inside, “If you don't open up, we're going to come in by force. Do you understand?”

“That's a bit harsh, Reiner, don't you think?” Bertolt muttered.

“I don't understand you sometimes, Bert. Not long ago were determined to see your beloved Annie once again. Make up your mind.” Bertolt stood back numbly, “We have no choice at this point, you do realise that right? We're under strict orders to bring her back and I know Hitch Dreyse is concealing information from us.”

The taller of the two frowned and nodded, “Are you sure she's hiding something from us?”

“If she wasn't, she would open this damn door.” Bertolt remained quiet and pursed his lips, “You've got to the count of three, Fraulein Dreyse.”

“Alright, alright!” an irritated female voice could be heard from the other side of the door. Reiner could hear her scrambling at the lock as the bolt shifted. When she appeared the girl looked agitated, “You didn't have to create such a scene!” she scolded the two in a hushed tone.

“Well Hitch, if you had just opened the door in the first place that would have been avoided.” Reiner stepped forward giving Hitch no choice but to back-up and let the two inside.

“I'll give you a guess as to why we're here.” the Aryan man held a serious expression on his face, causing Hitch to cower before him, “Still no sign of Annie.”

The blonde pouted, “I don't know what you're here for. If you still haven't found her, then you're only wasting more of your time talking to me.”

Reiner looked to Bertolt and back to Hitch, “We know you're withholding information about Helferin Annie's circumstances.”

“I told you everything I know.” Hitch folded her arms across her chest and Reiner let out a grunt knowing her words to be lies.

“There is something we haven't told you as well,” Bertolt spoke up, his voice quiet due to his uncertainty, “About Annie, that is…”

“Oh?” Hitch was suddenly perturbed.

Bertolt looked to Reiner for confirmation before going ahead, when the blond gave him a nod he answered Hitch's question, “We were given orders from Annie's father not to tell anyone, but it's reached the point where we no longer have any choice.”

“Go on.” Hitch gestured for Bertolt to cut to the chase.

Bertolt paused, recalling Kommandant Leonhart's words when they had first confronted him about the girl's disappearance,

“ _Make sure that nobody finds out about this. Understood? If word gets out, Annie could be in trouble. No daughter of mine will be an enemy of the fatherland.”_

The tall young man bit his lip and seeing that he was hesitating, Reiner opened his mouth to finish what he should have said,

“Last time we came to you, we asked you when you last saw Annie. You told us very basic information, that you helped some of her old friends to find her. That was all you could tell us, you barely even gave us a description of what they looked like, even after we told you Annie had since fled.”

Hitch remained silent but had Reiner's undivided attention after what he said next,

“What we didn't show you last time was this letter,” Reiner dived into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded twice, “Here” he announced, handing it to the girl.

Hitch's hazel eyes scanned over the writing and as the contents of the letter became clear her mouth fell open slightly and she frowned heavily, obviously worried and perplexed by it all. “So…so what happened? Was she not in Munich when you went to meet with her?”

“That's correct.”

Hitch suddenly glowered at the two, “And you were quick to jump to the conclusion that she ran off by choice!? If those two were enemies of the Führer they may have forced her into it! Maybe they found out her plan and hurt her?”

For the briefest of moments Reiner looked offended, “We did consider that as a possibility.”

“And?”

“Annie is not stupid. She's a strong girl, I'm sure you know that considering you trained with her.”

Tears started to form in the young woman's eyes, “Two or three against one? I don't think so. She is strong but…!”

“Calm down, Hitch.” Reiner practically demanded as she began to sob uncontrollably, “Her father is certain the boy's name is Armin Arlert.” Hitch froze hearing this, “He is Jewish, apparently. We have records on him up to 1937 when he along with his family fled the country. The assumption is, he came back for Annie and now the two lovers have run away together.”

Hitch's face scrunched up into one of confusion for a moment or two, “Her father is right. The boy's name was Armin, if I remember correctly.”

“So you did know.” Bertolt piped up, mildly annoyed.

“I didn't think it was important!” Hitch bit back, wiping her tear stained cheeks with a tissue that she had grabbed from her pocket.

“Of course it is!” Reiner raised his voice, “If you had been able to tell us this before, we would have been able to pass it on to her father and maybe then he wouldn't think of us as completely incompetent!”

“Well perhaps if you had given _me_ all of the information in the first place, I would have thought to tell you.” she retorted sharply, rendering the two men silent for several moments.

“We couldn't give you this information, we were ordered not to tell anybody. Of course we had to consider Annie's reputation. We're only telling you this now because we've had to resort to drastic measures,” Bertolt spoke in a glum manner, “We _must_ find Annie and bring her back safely.” His dismal tone changed on the last note, determination taking hold of him.

Reiner narrowed his eyes at the girl, “Besides,” he began, “I still don't quite believe you were completely ignorant to the situation. Why didn't you want to answer the door to us?”

Hitch froze again, but relented and let out a shaky breath, “I didn't know all the circumstances, alright? I thought she left because she had found her happily ever after. I didn't want you two or her father to ruin that. She never laughed or smiled.”

“Well, unfortunately this isn't her happily ever after and hopefully with your help it will be coming to an end very shortly.” Reiner stated matter-of-factly, “Annie will be happy once she realises the mistake she's made. She has her knight in shining armour right here.” The more muscular soldier beckoned to Bertolt, whose face flushed crimson and mumbled something that went unheard.

“It's strange,” Hitch furrowed her brows, “I never suspected a thing when that blond kid showed up at my door asking for Annie. He didn't look like a Jew, he was Aryan, blond hair and blue-eyed…”

“There's no need to dwell on it,” Reiner spoke, “However, if you could keep each and every one of their faces fresh in your mind that would be great.”

“Why?” Hitch questioned.

“Because,” Reiner took a step forward as if an attempt to corner her, “You will be coming with us to find Annie.”

“W-what, but why me!?” Hitch practically screeched,

“You're the only person who can help us. You know exactly what Armin and the others look like,” Reiner explained, “I thought you said you were friends with Annie? Do you not care about her anymore?” The blonde swallowed a lump in her throat and looked off to the side, “For all we know she _could_ be in trouble.” Hitch bit down on her lip anxiously, “We didn't want to think about it too much but maybe you were right…maybe they _did_ find out about her plan and she's been forced against her will to go with them, or _worse_ …”

“Please, Fraulein Dreyse…” Bertolt interrupted and Hitch's hazel eyes trailed to the taller man, “We really need your assistance. _Annie_ needs you.”

As Hitch's silence lingered, Reiner's patience grew less, “In the end, Hitch, we're not really giving you a choice in the matter. You're coming with us whether you want to or not.”

“You can't make me do anything!” Hitch spat, anger flaring up inside of her.

The blond just scoffed, “I'll have you know we can. If you don't come with us willingly, we'll inform Kommandant Leonhart that you have information about Annie that is useful to us. As you very well know, he's not a man you would want to mess with.”

“…Bastards” Hitch murmured, “ _Fine_ , I'll help you.”

“Think of it this way, you're helping a friend.”

Hitch scowled back at the blond for a good minute, “I'll get my coat.” she eventually said through gritted teeth.

Before Hitch was able to leave the room, the lanky soldier grabbed her by the arm, “ _Danke,_ Hitch,” he spoke sincerely as his green eyes met her hazel, “Danke schön.”

At that, Hitch's grimace softened somewhat and she gave him a curt nod. When she left the room, Bertolt turned to Reiner, 

“What now?” he asked, 

“As soon as Fraulein Dreyse is ready, we leave. We'll do what we did before—start with Munich and then drive to nearby towns, asking around, but this time we've got an advantage. We'll go as far as the German border…” the blond trailed off as concern swept across his face once more, 

Bertolt's brows knitted together, “And then what?” 

“I don't know.” Reiner cursed under his breath, “We've already wasted so much time.”

“We'll find her.”

“If not, we'll seriously have to consider following in her footsteps…”

“What was that?” Hitch questioned as she stepped back into the room, her fingers still working on the buttons of her trench coat.

“Nothing.” Reiner answered in an almost snappish manner.

“Are you ready?” Bertolt quickly added in an attempt to divert the conversation, Hitch only nodded in response, clearly taken back by Reiner's behaviour and wishing she had never helped Armin Arlert and his friends in the first place, or at the very least kept quiet about the whole incident.

“Good.” Reiner swallowed, “We'll end this soon. Once we find Annie, we can get back to what is most important: winning this war.”

* * *

As the evening drew to a close, everyone at the cottage grew quiet. The atmosphere was serene, a very different scene from that of a few days ago when there was excitement and ebullience among the teens and the commotion that followed after Ymir introduced them to alcohol. Unfortunately, there really wasn't much to do at the cottage of an evening except for a game of cards or get Armin to play a tune on the old piano. Often, when Armin's hands were too weary and nobody had the concentration for another card game, they would share stories.

Eren and Armin had plenty to tell. Starting from how they both posed as soldiers, from the help of an American soldier based in London to board a ship destined for the war-torn continent, up to when they finally reached Annie's doorstep. Armin's intelligence and navigation skills and Eren's bravery never ceased to amaze the females in the room, including even Ymir. Of course, the brunet loved to harp on about how he saved Mikasa's life, exaggerating some details here and there, but ultimately it was true that he had taken down three Nazi soldiers, practically by himself.

“ _You could write a book about your experiences.”_ Mikasa once mentioned, bringing a twinkle to Armin's eye.

He took it on board and began to write everything down on paper thinking that maybe one day, someone out there would be interested in hearing about his story. Annie agreed saying he could make a small fortune without distorting any of the details.

Though, tonight even story-telling was off the menu. For whatever reason, the teens didn't even feel like talking and it seemed like an early night was on the cards. As they sat in the parlour, Annie started to feel a tad suffocated. She always dreaded when the sensation came over her because it was often sudden. Her anxiety had been under wraps for the past couple of days, or so she had thought. Perhaps she was only bottling things up again, which she knew never led to any good. She wondered if it was something else, but either way she knew she had to leave the room and get some air.

“I'll be outside.” she announced suddenly and left the room.

Armin let her be. The boy knew that he needed to give Annie space and assumed she would return soon enough considering the weather. Although the day had been mild for October, or at least a lot warmer than it had been in the past week, it was still rather chilly and he knew she disliked being out in the cold for too long. However, after some time passed and Ymir and Krista announced they would head off to bed, Armin began to worry.

Annie inhaled the cold air into her lungs and sighed, _going against the flow, huh? I'm not the brave one here. Armin and Eren are the spirited ones_ , she thought to herself while reflecting back on the many tales she had listened to from the two, _in the end, I've just done what's considered to be the right thing, but even then I'm not really 'good' am I?_

Annie took a walk as the sun was about to begin it's decent behind the Bavarian mountains. She soon found solace in the old barn house that was only several metres from the cottage and sat down amongst the hay, admiring the beams of orange light that streamed through the gaps between the planks of wood and cherishing the last of the warmth that the sun had to offer.

_I suppose if Armin thinks I'm good, then nothing else matters._

“There you are!” Armin exclaimed causing the girl to jump, she turned around to see him standing at the entrance with a blanket in one hand and a paraffin lantern in the other, despite it not being dark just yet, “I was worried there for a moment. Thought you had run away again until I noticed that the door to the barn house was ajar,” he let out a nervous chuckle.

He was beautiful. As he stood there with the last of the sun's light glowing behind him, all that Annie could compare the sight to was that of an angel.

“Always so observant, aren't you? I remember you being that way even when we were children.” she couldn't help but smile.

Armin grinned and met her side, placing the blanket over her small frame and sighing softly, “You must be freezing, what brought you in here?” he questioned, setting the lantern on the ground and letting his eyes wander around his surroundings while Annie's icy blue remained fixated on him.

She didn't answer at first and when he sensed the intensity behind her stare his heart picked up pace, “I just…” her words dwindled away. He started to blush and Annie wondered if she was making him uncomfortable, yet despite her qualms, she still couldn't take her eyes off of him.

“Is something the matter?” his mouth was already dry, having suspicions about what was on her mind.

“I just love you.” the words spilled from her mouth without a second thought, but for once, she didn't regret saying them. Perhaps there wouldn't be another chance to, not that she had to remind herself about the war, but the reality was they might not live to see tomorrow.

Armin smiled, “Oh, I see. That's a big problem, isn't it?” he joked and laughed softly—a harmonious sound that gave her butterflies. She was happy to notice that he seemed to relax a little, “I love you too.”

Annie couldn't quite bring herself to laugh in return; the emotion she felt at that moment was far too overwhelming. Instead, she found herself crying.

“Annie…” alarmed, Armin brought his hand to wipe away her tears, “What's wrong?”

“It's nothing,” she quickly composed herself but knowing that no one other than Armin would ever see her crumble like that, a small smile pulled at her lips, “It's just as I said, I love you…” Annie paused briefly and their eyes met. “But…” she continued, “What if tonight is our last night?”

The boy frowned, “You mustn't think like that.”

“This is war, Armin; it's uncertain what will happen from one day to the next. I…” the blonde exhaled a shaky breath before proceeding, “We already had seven years taken away from us and I don't intend on wasting another second.”

“Me too, I made that clear when I found you.” he smiled brightly, but Annie felt like he was missing the point. She wasn't sure how Armin, a boy who was by far smarter than any seventeen year-old she knew, couldn't take the hint.

_Maybe despite all that he's been through, he managed to maintain some of his innocence._

The blonde sighed in mild frustration, “I don't think you quite understand what I'm trying to say here,” the boy's eyes widened ever so slightly but he remained silent much to Annie's dismay, “What I'm saying is,” the girl placed a hand over his chest, feeling his heartbeat under her fingertips, “I want you to make love to me.” she was careful with her choice of words. Her pale face dusted pink as she waited for a response, though it was tame in comparison to the blush that erupted across Armin's. His heart skipped another beat as Annie's hand moved up and tugged at the collar of his shirt. Annie had long since relinquished her pride so even when Armin said nothing, she felt no shame.

“So _that's_ why you came in here.” he finally said after a somewhat awkward silence with a sheepish grin plastered across his crimson face, though he had had an inkling.

“Yes, probably,” Annie's light blue eyes stared into his ocean blue, “To be honest, I don't really know.”

Armin swallowed a lump in his throat, “Well, if, if that's what you want.” There was a slight quake to his voice.

Annie felt her heart take a sudden dip, “Is it what you want?” fearing he didn't want the same, her eyes met the hay.

“Yes,” Armin swallowed, “Of course it is, with you.” Without another word, he placed a hand beneath her chin and lifted her face so that their eyes met once again. The boy's heart was thrashing against his ribcage as he slowly inched towards her, getting closer and closer, until their lips finally came into contact.

He kissed her gently at first, but within minutes it became feverish and the blanket that was placed over her shoulders only several moments ago had fallen off without a second thought. Annie's hands were quick to reach for Armin's collar again and she pulled down on it, popping open several buttons. The boy quickly placed his hand over hers—firstly, to prevent her from damaging one of the two shirts he owned and secondly, so that he could remove his sweater. Despite the cold weather outside, the air around them was quickly heating up.

The kiss was broken only to allow the blond to pull the garment over his head and chuck it carelessly to the side. Almost immediately, their lips were reunited and Annie's fingers were fumbling with the remaining buttons of his shirt. Then there was the issue of his suspenders, those were next to come off, this time—much to Armin's relief—without inflicting any pain.

She pulled away again to marvel at Armin's body as the shirt fell from his shoulders seconds later; he wasn't muscular by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, he was relatively thin, but Annie put that down to rations. Either way, he was perfect in her eyes. At the same time, she admired the ruffled look removing the sweater had given his golden hair. Words alone were not enough to express how she felt, so she remained silent. After some moments passed, the girl could tell that her gaze was making him blush so she pressed her lips up against his again.

As the sun began to set, the barn house turned from orange to a shade of red. They continued to undress one another while becoming increasingly needy of each other's touch. When Annie was stripped down to nothing but her undergarments, Armin attempted to remove her bra but floundered embarrassingly. When his shaky hands eventually unclasped the hook, allowing the intimate piece of clothing to fall, he couldn't help but stare at her ample bosom in wonder.

Annie scooted onto Armin's lap and kissed him again, causing the boy to almost have a heart attack. Feeling her weight near his crotch only served to stimulate him further and without giving it a second thought, his hand moved instinctively towards her breast, “May I?” he requested between breaths, almost shyly.

Annie rolled her eyes but a small yet nervous smile tugged at the corner of her lips, “Armin,” it took all of her will to hide how scared she felt from seeping into her voice as she spoke, “I'm sitting on top of you half naked, there's no need to be a gentleman.” She could feel his hardness pressing up against her thigh and swallowed away the lump that had formed in her throat.

With her consent, the boy gingerly placed a hand over one of her breasts and within an instant, felt his underwear constrict even further. They were incredibly soft to touch, only adding to Armin's fascination with her body. He couldn't help but admire how such a small girl was so toned, yet curvaceous at the same time.

_God, she's so beautiful._

She leaned forward and he felt her nose brush against his neck, he wanted to voice his thoughts but when his thumb lightly grazed over her nipple, a soft sigh unexpectedly escaped her lips and rendered the boy temporarily speechless. He mimicked the same action again, earning another soft whine.

Before he could even attempt to say anything, Annie's mouth met his and their lips crashed together again. She locked her arms around his neck and he leaned back against the hay, bringing her down with him. Their bare chests were pressed up against each other, soaking up the other's warm and the sensation of skin on skin turning them both on even more so.

His hands explored and the girl couldn't contain a giggle as his fingers teasingly glided over her sides and waist, tickling her. They pulled back once again and sat up only to gaze into each other's eyes. They were both nervous wrecks, not knowing where to go from there. The usually stoic girl was red in the face, eyes shining with intense emotion and Armin, who was never one to mask his emotions in the first place, was a trembling mess.

Worried, Annie rested a hand over the boy's heart, “Your heart is pounding. Are you nervous?”

“A little.” he lied, concealing how truly terrified he was at that very moment.

The girl responded by wordlessly taking his hand and placing it over her own thudding heart. She then leaned back slowly and as he hovered above her, she reached a hand to caress the side of his face. Armin placed another firm kiss on top of her lips and she reached up, almost physically shuddering in anticipation as she slowly removed the last remaining article of clothing from him.

Something between a sigh and a moan escaped his mouth as his erection met the cool night air. Annie's crystal like eyes curiously wandered down and then back up to meet his face. When she felt his fingers at the hem of her underwear, her breath hitched in her throat. By this point, any anxiousness the boy had previously felt was overshadowed by neediness. As he started to pull on the garment, she raised her hips off the ground to allow him to remove them completely.

 _Finally_ , she thought amongst many other things.

“Is it okay to…?” Armin trailed off, nerves getting the better of him again.

Annie gave him a quick nod, shamelessly giving in to her lust and craving intimacy in a way she had never before. Armin smiled at her reassuringly and when she felt his hardness brush against her entrance, her breath once again caught in her throat. She stiffened as he slowly pushed himself inside of her, sucking in ragged breaths as she adjusted to the intrusion.

Armin started to pant almost immediately and entwined his fingers with hers as he took hold of both her hands, “Am I hurting you?” he questioned worriedly, but Annie slammed her eyes shut and shook her head,

“No, just give me a moment.”

“Okay, when you're ready.” Armin smiled patiently at her and reached down to place a light kiss on the end of the girl's nose. Several moments later Annie reopened her eyes and exhaled a slow, shaky breath, before whispering for him to proceed.

Armin rocked into her slow and gentle at first and sure enough, the tears started to fall as she came undone completely under his touch. He treated her delicately, while she wanted him to thrust into her with all his might. After everything, Annie wasn't even sure how she was able to go through with the act. She was staining his purity by taking his virginity, even though she was a virgin herself. She hated herself for being weak and selfish, but she wanted this more than anything, not believing even for a second that she deserved him.

When the boy noticed her tears he became distraught, “Why are you crying? Does it hurt? Do you want me to stop?” His thrusts almost ceased entirely, but Annie shook her head,

“Don't stop. Please.”

Armin sighed, “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” she breathed, “ _Please_ , Armin.” Annie hooked her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers, partly to shut him up, but also to feel him surround her in every way possible.

As requested, he didn't stop and gradually quickened his pace. The air was heating up again and their bodies were slick with sweat as the sound of skin slapping on skin filled the barn, accompanied by moans of pleasure from both of them. Armin was previously biting down on his lip hard enough to draw blood to prevent making too much noise, but had since quit. Annie's mewls surprised even herself as she clawed at his back and locked her legs around his waist, bringing him even closer and trapping him there.

If she had her way, she wouldn't have wanted the moment to end. Acknowledging the fact that it was a miracle he was even there in the first place.

His name was on the tip of her tongue as she came, shaking vigorously and burying her face into his shoulder. Hearing his name sent the boy over the edge as well, and only seconds after, he came to an abrupt stop and finished rather loudly, almost collapsing on top of her. Annie was still holding the boy to her despite feeling like she could sleep for a thousand years.

Eventually she let up, no longer having the strength or the energy, and he fell beside her. Her head rested on the boy's chest and he caressed her flaxen hair while they regained themselves. Neither spoke for several minutes and Armin's chest was heaving long after Annie's breathing returned to normal.

“We did it.” she finally whispered against his skin,

“Yeah,” he breathed,

“I love you.” she said again before her eyes succumbed to her sleepiness,

Armin stirred and her heavy lids reluctantly opened as the boy grabbed the blanket he had brought in with him and placed it over them, “I love you too.” he whispered back and placed a kiss on top of her head.

The boy peered down to see a content smile on Annie's face as she closed her eyes, and in that moment, it was her who looked like an angel.


	24. Chapter 24

**October 1944,**

Apart from the sound of birds chirping innocently in nearby trees, everything was eerily still as the winter sun began to rise above the Bavarian mountains. That was until the thunderous roar of a car's engine was heard, jolting Annie awake and setting her heart aflutter in the complete opposite way of how Armin had done so the previous night. Her mind was still foggy with sleep but it had already began ticking over,

“Hm, Vater?” she murmured in her semi-conscious state.

Armin stirred a little obviously feeling the tension, and slowly, she opened her eyes only briefly to peer down at the blond boy lying next to her amongst the hay. He soon settled again and his warm breath tickled against her skin, calming her. When she heard nothing more, she foolishly drifted back off to sleep and didn't even hear the car door slamming shut.

Although the couple in the barn were once again sound asleep, Historia awoke to hear unfamiliar voices coming from outside the usually quiet cottage. The petite girl pounced out of bed almost immediately and ran towards the window; before pulling back the curtain she turned back to see Ymir clutching a pillow in her absence and snoring softly, completely unaware of their eminent danger.

“Let's get this over with, we're almost done.”

“But what if she isn't here? What do we do then, Reiner?”

“The villagers told us the oriental girl is living here.”

Historia failed to register anything else that was said downstairs, as when the source of the voices came into view she gasped—recognising their uniforms instantly. The blonde leapt to Ymir's side, “Ymir! Ymir wake up!”

The taller woman churned and groaned, “What is it?” she grunted and rubbed at her eyes.

“The SS are here!” she panicked.

“What!?” Ymir exclaimed in disbelief.

Before either could react, the pounding had begun; it was clear the men were not going to spare them a knock as they ferociously kicked the old wooden door off its hinges.

Historia shielded her ears from the noise that bellowed throughout the cottage, and it wasn't long before Eren and Mikasa were forced awake.

“What the bloody hell is going on!?” the brunet cursed as he rushed out onto the landing to see the cause of the disturbance.

Mikasa shadowed Eren, deeply concerned.

“We need to get out of here, that's what.” Ymir hissed as she grabbed hold of Historia's arm.

“Show yourselves. You're under arrest.” a stern voice shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

For a moment everyone froze in place, contemplating whether or not to make an escape or surrender. A click of a gun alerted the teenagers that the soldiers were in fact armed and therefore trying to run away was most likely not going to end well for any of them. However, stupidly, Eren bolted down the stairs, Mikasa at his heels. Ymir sighed heavily but before following the reckless boy she pulled Historia into a kiss,

“Stay up here and hide.” The taller female hushed, with a firm look reflected in her amber coloured eyes.

“But Ymir—”

“ _Please_.”

Before the small girl could protest any further, Ymir turned her back on her and proceeded to follow Eren and Mikasa into the hands of the SS soldiers. However, she hovered at the bottom of the stairs and kept slightly out of view.

“EREN!”

It happened in a flash. The boy lunged at the blond soldier with his pocket knife but ended up on his back in a matter of seconds. Mikasa gasped, and Reiner watched as her face morphed into an expression of pure rage. He grinned and the Asian saw that as an invitation. She ran towards Eren, but before she reached him Reiner grabbed her wrist and without even the smallest hint of strain the slight girl grabbed the soldier's forearm and flipped him so that he crashed into a chair, breaking that and hitting the floor.

“Argh!” Reiner cursed and before he was able to bring himself to his feet, the sound of two guns clicking simultaneously stole the attention of everyone in the room.

“Hitch!?” Eren exclaimed in disbelief as he looked at the young woman carefully. He clenched his fists into tight balls as they started to shake, “You're friends with Annie! You, you can't be arresting us! You helped us!” the brunet scrambled to his feet,

“Entschuldigung, ich verstehen nicht. (I'm sorry, I don't understand)” the blonde replied firmly in her native tongue, though the boy noticed her hand trembling as she clutched the gun.

“Don't give me that bullshit,” Eren shouted and moved forward, Hitch visibly swallowed.

“Stop! D-don't move any closer.” The taller male spoke up with a thick accent, “Where is Fraulein Leonhart?” Eren's eyes widened even further.

“Annie? I…I don't know,” he answered truthfully. He had seen neither hide nor hare of either Annie or Armin all night.

“Don't lie to us, we'll shoot. We know she is with you.”

“Easy there, Bert,” Reiner interrupted, “We're arresting them, not killing them. Even though this one did try to tackle me with a knife,” the blond chuckled and Eren glared right back, “Now put your hands up. You don't have to make this any more difficult than it has to be.”

“Fuck you!” he spat at him and a distinct dark grey patch formed on the breast of the soldier's jacket where the saliva landed.

“Right, I didn't want to have to do this but now you're just being a pain in my backside,” The brawny soldier grabbed the teen forcefully and slammed him into the ground.

“Oi, get your hands off of me!” Eren squirmed and writhed but to no avail,

“Bitte tu ihm nicht weh! (Don't hurt him, please!)” Mikasa yelled frantically as Reiner shoved a gun to the boy's head,

“Will you cooperate?” Reiner spoke quietly against Eren's ear,

“Eren…Please!” the girl's pupils constricted and tears started forming in her eyes,

His current predicament did not really give him many options and Mikasa's tone was urgent, Eren knew he needed to calm her down, “Yes.” he murmured reluctantly,

“Gut. (Good)” Reiner swiftly cuffed the boy and pulled him to his feet.

“Bastard…” the brunet muttered under his breath.

“I will pretend I didn't hear that.”

“Warum verhaftet ihr uns? (Why are we under arrest?)” The Asian blinked, how had it come to this? At the pit of her heart, she had a feeling why, or rather, who it was to blame.

Reiner said nothing for several moments while he patted down the pockets of his jacket in search for something, while Bertolt and Hitch remained in position to shoot them at any given moment. A look of confusion swept across both Eren and Mikasa's faces and in the background, Ymir watched carefully, feeling more disconcerted by the second.

Several moments later, Reiner handed the girl a small piece of paper that had been folded in half twice. Mikasa briefly looked at the soldier, confused, and then down at the paper which she initially assumed to be their warrant for arrest. However, she was somewhat puzzled to find that it was in fact a hand-written letter.

_Dear Reiner and Bertolt,_

_I am leaving. I cannot explain everything now in this letter, but please do not tell father that I have gone. I know he will discover I am missing, but you must promise to pretend as if you know nothing. Most likely, he will send you both to come looking for me._

_I will tell you this and this only: I am with an old friend of mine. However he is acquainted with enemies of the Führer and our people. I cannot kill or arrest them because of reasons I would rather not go into. That being said, they need to be dealt with and I need you both to do that job for me. I will head for the German-Swiss border with them. I will make sure that we travel through Munich. You must meet me at St. Peter's Church in two days at 23:00. That is where you can arrest them, and afterwards do as you wish._

_When we meet, you must act like you do not know me. Please do not attempt to harm the blond boy who will be accompanying me, the ones you want are a boy with dark hair and a woman with an East Asian appearance. I will explain everything at a later date. I am sorry that this is so sudden, but I want you to know that my loyalties always lie with the Fatherland. My circumstances are just extremely complicated._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Annie._

Mikasa's mouth was left hanging agape for a fraction of a second before she quickly composed herself. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised, but yet she was. The bitter taste of betrayal was overshadowed by a feeling of intense rage. The girl almost found herself shaking but let out a breath and pursed her lips together before handing the letter back to the blond soldier.

“But little Annie hasn't made it very easy for us. Nevertheless, here we are. Now where is she?”

“I do not know.” Mikasa replied sharply.

“Why are you trying to protect her? She betrayed you!”

“Believe me, if I knew I would not hesitate to hand her over.”

“And Armin Arlert?” the taller of the soldiers spoke up,

Mikasa cast Hitch a very brief but howbeit withering look, then turned back to Reiner, “Why are you looking for Armin? You have what you want.”

“Because, Annie is a traitor.”

“Reiner—” Bertolt raised his voice at his comrade in disapproval,

“It's the truth and you know it.”

“That did not answer my question.” The Asian pressed, drawing the attention of both soldiers away from their quarrel.

“You're criminals and I'm not obliged to give you any more information. Now if you don't tell me where Fraulein Annie is, I'll just have to find her myself.” Reiner gave both Bertolt and Hitch a nod and began to head in the direction of the stairs,

“There's no one up there.” Ymir suddenly jumped out at the soldier, almost bumping straight into him.

“Do you live here? Have you been harbouring this lot?”

The taller female cursed under her breath and let out a heavy sigh before muttering an almost inaudible 'yes', Reiner looked her up, scrutinising her, and was about to cuff her before she swore again,

“Look, I know where Armin and Annie are. They're out in that barn house. But I can assure you there's no one else here.”

The blond raised his brows and hesitated for a moment before cuffing her nonetheless, “Get over there. Bertolt, I'm checking upstairs.”

“Fuck,” Ymir sulked over to the others with a scornful expression on her face. She glared at the lankier soldier, the blonde and then to Eren and Mikasa, “I knew she'd be trouble.”

The old staircase creaked under Reiner's heavy footsteps as he made his pursuit. When he reached the landing, his golden eyes scanned his surroundings and he stepped into one of the bedrooms. It was empty, of course. That didn't stop the young man from tearing it apart, though. He finished his rampage and went onto the next room and after recognising some of Annie's belongings, he breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Historia had tucked herself away under the bed, frozen in fear.

The girl's heart caught in her throat when she saw a pair of big, black boots step into her bedroom. He was silent for long a moment, way too silent, she thought. Then suddenly, without warning, she was met with a pair of golden eyes staring straight back into her blue ones. She convulsed and a soft gasp escaped her trembling lips. The soldier frowned but the longer he stared at her, the softer his features became. It was an intense several seconds that felt more like an eternity for Historia, but in a complete turn of events, the soldier stood up and left the room without a single word. She blinked and let out a slow, shaky breath,

_What on Earth? Why did he…?_

* * *

“Good morning,” Armin breathed, while looking down at the young woman beside him as she snuggled closer into his chest, he had his arms around her tightly to stop her from feeling the cold. It was a crisp morning, but the sun was emitting mellow rays through the cracks in the barn house, casting a warm light on the couple.

“Morning.” she murmured quietly.

“Do you think we should head back inside now?” Armin pondered aloud,

“No.” Annie replied quickly, “I want to stay here, like this…for a little longer.” she let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes, basking in his warmth, “Just a little while longer…” her voice trailed off sleepily.

“It's surprisingly comfortable in here, I must say.” Armin chuckled,

“I could lie like this forever.” Annie whispered, “With you, that is.”

“Me too.”

* * *

“Anything?” Bertolt asked as Reiner re-entered the room,

Ymir's eyes were wide and she stared at the soldier, who briefly glanced at her and then back to the taller one,

“No,” he let out an awkward cough, “nothing.” He was evidently ashamed by what he had done and Ymir couldn't contain her surprise. She knew he had seen Historia, but he had chosen not to do anything about it. Perhaps the soldier had a heart after all.

“So where is Annie?” Bertolt was clearly becoming agitated by the situation. “If we return without her—”

“I found some of Annie's belongings upstairs.” Reiner interrupted, “You,” he looked again to Ymir, “You said they were out in the barn house, correct?”

Ymir simply nodded, still dumbfounded by Reiner's choice to leave her girlfriend safe upstairs.

“Right, meanwhile I'll stay with Hitch and make sure this lot don't try and make a run for it. I suggest you go and check it out, and take your gun with you.” Reiner gave him a nod and Bertolt seemed to hesitate for a moment before a look of determination swept across his unsure features. He clicked his heels together and left the cottage with gun in hand.

Eren's eyes found Mikasa's, she could see that his anger had subsided and they were now filled with nothing but fear. They both knew there wasn't a lot they could do considering they were all held at gunpoint, and if anyone was reckless enough to try and escape they'd face being shot. Mikasa wanted to smile, perhaps this was the end for all of them, and with that in mind she couldn't find the will to lift her lips. Instead she mouthed a silent, “I love you.”

“Did you hear that just now?” Annie was suddenly alert, “It sounded like footsteps.”

Armin frowned, “I heard it too. You don't think Eren followed us out here, do you?”

The girl's stomach flipped over and she shook her head, “No…I don't think so.” her heart started thrashing when she suddenly remembered hearing a car earlier that morning in her half asleep state. “Armin…” she started to panic,

“Do you want me to go and have a look?” he questioned, his tone soft as ever.

The soldier stood just around the corner from the barn house, his hands shaking uncontrollably due to a wave of multiple emotions that had come crashing down on him. It was only then, after hearing her voice with another's that he realised his feelings for her to be true. With a burst of adrenaline pulsating throughout every fibre of his body—a feeling so unfamiliar to him—he ran to the door and kicked it open, nearly causing it to fly off of its hinges.

The couple scrambled to pull the blanket up over their naked bodies, and when Annie recognised just who it was, her face turned deathly pale.

Bertolt stood with beads of sweat drenched across his forehead and both hands clutching the gun in his large hands.

“Bertolt—” Annie began,

“How could you?”

The girl fell silent and felt Armin start to tremble beside her, “I…”

“How could you do this to your father? Your _country_?” there was a slight quake in his voice as he spoke, but there was a fire in his eyes.

“Put the gun down,” she rushed, “I can explain—”

“I don't want to hear it. You betrayed us, you betrayed your father and your country.”

“Is… _he_ here?” she managed to utter the dreaded question, an abhorrent, yet terrifying feeling started to brew in the pit of her stomach.

“I…defended you!” Bertolt yelled and the girl jumped, startled. He was always so meek, especially around her. She had never so much heard him raise his voice before, let alone shout, “You did this, for _him_?” Bertolt's green eyes moved to the blond beside her and Armin's mouth turned dry. The soldier looked at him with hatred and disgust. A look Armin was too accustomed to.

“You wouldn't understand.” she muttered, “Father lied to me—”

“Silence.” he cut in, “You're Armin Arlert, no?” Bertolt was once again looking at the blond. Armin was frozen out of fear but after several moments, slowly nodded. He turned back to Annie, “Your father has been looking for the both of you.” his tone was composed, but the stormy look in his eyes and the sweat pouring from his body told Annie he was becoming more infuriated.

Yet despite Bertolt's conspicuous animosity and rage she couldn't help herself, “I should have known you two wouldn't have had the guts to do as I asked and not show him the letter.” she scoffed, grabbed her clothes, and started to dress. If she was fearful of the gun being pointed at her, she didn't show it as she chucked Armin his clothes as well. “I won't go back to him.”

“You don't have a choice in the matter, Annie.”

“I love him. I've loved him all my life.”

“Oh,” Bertolt let out a contrived laugh, “I'm sure your father would love to hear all about it! How you're a Jew lover and a traitor!” his hands started to shake again,

“Are you blind, or just a fool? Can't you see Germany is losing this war.”

“H-how, how dare you!” he hollered, gripping hold of the weapon so tight his knuckles turned white,

“I turned my back on my father and my country. I don't give a shit. As for you two, I never liked either of you, especially the way you would always sniff around my father like a couple of pet dogs!”

“That's it! You've done it! I'll shoot and you'll stop this nonsense and come back home!”

“Annie!” Armin squawked with wide eyes as the weapon was pointed directly at him.

Annie's heart almost leapt out of her chest at the scene. There was panic from everyone in the barn house, including Bertolt. His hands were unsteady as he grasped the gun, and in a moment of jealous frenzy he pulled the trigger.

The blonde screamed Armin's name, and the sound of a single gunshot was heard.

* * *

“Christ!” Reiner cursed, “That big idiot better not have shot the kid, her father will kill us if we killed him before he got the chance to.”

“Armin!” Mikasa shrieked.

“Come on,” Reiner shouted to Hitch, “We need to get outside. Now!”

The two soldiers lead the others outside at gunpoint and headed towards the commotion that was coming from the barn house. When they arrived, Bertolt looked as if he was on the brink of tears.

“Armin! I swear to god, you bastards better not have laid a finger on him!” Eren screamed,

“Shut it.” Reiner walked towards the entrance and exhaled in relief when he saw that the couple were unharmed, “What's going on here? You know damn well her father wants that boy back in one piece.”

“Annie…! You, you could have been killed!” Armin stuttered out, completely in shock. The girl had stood directly in front of him, acting as a shield.

“He tried,” she spoke up, somewhat shakily, “But once I stood in front, he couldn't go through with it and shot to the side. Pathetic.”

“Why are you protecting this boy? He's a Jew! Have you completely lost your mind!?” Reiner bellowed,

“I'm not going through this again.”

“Alright, alright. I don't care. You're coming with us regardless.”

“The others…are they okay?” Armin spoke up,

“Armin! Armin” Eren called out. Hearing his friend's voice gave him some respite, considering the situation.

“Look, although Bert here was too afraid to shoot,” he patted the taller soldier sympathetically on the shoulder—who, in the meantime had calmed down considerably and was able to mutter something that went unheard, “I'm not scared to shoot Arlert in the legs. Now you _will_ do as we say.”

Annie glowered at the blond soldier, and as the couple stepped out of the barn, everyone else came into view. Including an unexpected, familiar face, “Hitch?”

“I'm sorry!” she sniffed as tears ran down her cheeks, “I didn't mean for this.”

“If you're so sorry, why don't you let us go?” Ymir narrowed her eyes at the dirty-blonde, but was met with no response.

Annie decided to ignore her former comrade and walked toward Mikasa, whose face had darkened in the most frightful way. If looks could kill, the blonde would sure have been dead.

“Mikasa,” Annie addressed, “I'm so sorry.” she was full of regret and anguish, knowing that this was all her fault.

There was nothing more she could have said, but even if she had wanted to, Mikasa wasn't about to give her the chance. The Asian's hand whipped up and slapped her hard across the face, leaving a trickle of blood on her mouth and a nasty red mark on her pale cheek. Annie couldn't quite mask how taken aback she was by Mikasa's action and quickly clasped the side of her face,

 _I deserved that._ She thought.

“You're only sorry it didn't go as you planned.” she snarled, her usually soft voice laced with hatred.

Annie stood speechless and cast her eyes downward, full of shame, she was unable to even look at anyone at that moment.

“I'll tear you apart for what you have done!” Mikasa warned and that's when Reiner intervened. The blond grabbed hold of the girl and attempted to restrain her.

The Asian was surprisingly a lot stronger than he had envisioned and she put up a resistance, but to no effect, and in the scuffle her red scarf came loose and fell to the ground. While she was distracted by the garment, Reiner swiftly cuffed her and pulled her away.

“Come on,” Reiner hummed.

“No!” the girl cried as she was dragged off in the direction of the car. Seeing what happened, Annie quickly ducked down to retrieve the scarf before being made to move along.

“Hey! Get your hands off of her!” Eren yelled as he followed after the soldier.

The others unwillingly trailed behind and right before being shoved into the back of the car, Annie turned to Armin with a pleading look, “Forgive me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY I'M SO, SO SORRY FOR THE LATENESS OF THIS UPDATE.  
> Really, please forgive me... I just hope the wait was worth it.
> 
> Translation credit goes to Sandra!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This chapter contains content that some of you may find distressing, for this reason reader discretion is advised. ******

**October, 1944**

It took less than two hours to drive to Dachau. It was evident that the people of Mittenwald had betrayed them when the soldiers came looking. Annie could only hazard a guess as to what they had done with Armin and the others, as for her, she knew exactly what, or rather who, awaited her return. She was swept down the long corridors, Bertolt Hoover silent at her side as he led her to the man she thought she would never have to face again. The existing knot in her stomach constricted even further, twisting and churning almost painfully when the sound of classical music emitting from behind the closed door met her ears. The musical piece was eerily serene and attempted to create a calm atmosphere, one that starkly juxtaposed with the internal conflict going on within her and the rattling of her heart. 

Bertolt’s awkward height made it so that Annie needn’t even look at his face the whole time, something for which she was thankful for. As the young man raised his hand to knock on the door, there was a moment’s pause when she could feel his eyes on her. She wasn’t even sure at that point if he was being sadistic, or generally felt sorry for her. In her mind, the former was most likely. It didn't take long for a response once Bertolt's knuckles had come into contact with the wood,

“Ja?” Annie swallowed upon hearing her father’s irritated voice, 

As usual, Bertolt didn’t utter a word and took that as an invitation to step inside the office, but the girl refused to cower behind him and instead pushed her way forward so that she would be the first person her father set eyes on. A cloud of smoke hit Annie as she entered the room, it reeked of tobacco and she wrinkled her nose in distaste. Kommandant Leonhart didn’t look up from his desk where a large stack of paperwork sat, at least not until the girl addressed him directly, 

“Vater.” she announced as clearly as she was able to muster. Her heart was beating like a drum, echoing in her ears and almost completely drowning out the sound of the music coming from the phonograph. 

Cold blue eyes set on the girl and he rose to his feet, towering over her. The kommandant then turned to the lankier soldier, “The others?” he questioned stoically and was promptly met with a response, 

“Detained, sir.” 

With a wave of his hand he dismissed Bertolt, who before departing clicked his heels together and saluted, closing the door behind him with a light thud. 

The man’s eyes were now on his daughter once again and the room suddenly felt terribly suffocating. Without a word, he walked over to the phonograph and lifted the needle, causing the music to come to an abrupt halt. Annie stood still, bracing herself for the wrath that would come her way any second. He turned and took several long, heavy footsteps towards her, unspeaking. She was waiting for him to scream at her for being treacherous, but he just continued to stare down at her coldly, the silence lingered on for several more moments. 

_Perhaps he’s waiting for me to apologise?_ _I need to come up with something—_

Her thoughts were abruptly cut short when the back of his calloused hand collided with her cheek; the sheer force alone was enough to knock her off her feet. Annie fell to the floor, startled by the impact. Perhaps she had seen Mikasa’s slap coming earlier, but despite how cruel he could be, her father had never so much as laid a finger on her before. The blonde clasped the side of her face, it was swelling quickly; as she overcame the initial shock, the pain started to become real. It took her several moments or so but the blonde composed herself, brought herself to her feet and straightened out her skirt. Annie's crystal like eyes met her father’s again and now she could see the rage boiling beneath a thin layer, ready to erupt.

“How dare you!” he spat.

Annie slammed her eyes shut. Even as her father continued to lash out at her, yelling profanities she was certain the whole corridor could hear, her mind went back to Armin Arlert and the others. She knew there was no escaping her father at this point, but she was determined to do all that was possible to help them, even if it got herself killed. 

“Look at me!” he barked, and the girl reopened her eyes. He continued the ferocious verbal attack on her until she finally yielded, no longer able to stand the loudness of his voice bang against her ears.

“I’m sorry, Vater,” Annie forced the words through gritted teeth, doubting she sounded sincere at all, “I was mistaken.” she bit down on her lip. 

“Did you sleep with him?” the man suddenly asked, Annie paused. “Did you?” he repeated, she looked at the veins on his forehead bulging out like worms crawling under the skin and sighed, 

“Calm down, Vater. You’re going to give yourself a heart-attack.” she muttered, avoiding eye-contact but with a still face, carefully masking her emotions. After that line, she half expected him to give her another clout. 

Instead, a low, incredulous chuckle escaped the man’s mouth, “I was right,” he shut his eyes for a moment, “you slept with that… _filth_!” he hissed, icy eyes back on Annie once more. He turned away from her at that, apparently too disgusted to even look at her. 

The girl subconsciously placed a finger over her lips, retracing where Armin’s lips had been the previous night. The hairs on her arms and neck rose at the mere memory of it, “Nein.” she whispered several seconds later, afraid that if her father believed it to be true, he would kill the boy straight away. 

The man seemed to deliberate for a while, in the meantime the dead air became heavier, “Get your uniform on.” he barked the order, breaking the stillness of the room. He then began to walk towards the desk to light up a cigarette, his back still facing her, “I’ll have a guard escort you.” the man sat and took a long drag from the cigarette, he then shot a look to Annie who hadn’t moved, “If anyone asks where you’ve been for the past month, say you’ve been ill. Be thankful I’m not sending you to the dogs for what you’ve done.” 

Annie nodded, unbeknownst to the kommandant, the inner workings of her mind was already plotting against him. She wondered why the man hadn’t had the heart to have her killed after bringing so much disgrace on him, but decided she’d rather not dwell on it. 

The girl turned to the side and stared blankly at the wall, rather that, than look at her father any longer. 

“Did you really think we could lose, foolish little girl?” he spoke once more,

Out of the corner of her eye, Annie could see his mouth curl upwards into a crooked, cocky grin. She knew he was referring to both the war and her running away. 

_But Vater, you’re blind to see that you’ve already lost…I’m no foolish little girl. I have seen the truth of this war._

The phone suddenly rang, derailing her train of thought. When Kommandant Leonhart hung up, he announced that he would be leaving and that she was to follow until they met with a guard who would take her back to her room. 

“I’m going to deal with your little Jew lover.” he rose to his feet again, still smiling. Annie’s blood curled. 

“Don’t—” Annie bit back the urge to plead with the man, knowing it would only make matters worse. She gave him a stiff nod instead, her face expressing nothing of what was going on inside. Annie knew that the only way she would be able to see Armin and his friends again was to deceive her father and pretend to be one of _them_. That meant giving a false display of remorse and bluffing until he believed her to be the heartless, devoted girl he had always praised her for being. Though, she admitted that it was unlikely he would be fooled twice.

“I have no intentions of killing that boy, Annie.” the man left the room at that and she followed in his shadow, “At least, not for now.” he muttered the last part under his breath, going unheard.

* * *

“It’s all over.” Mikasa mumbled in despair. Eren and Armin were gone. 

Ymir rolled her eyes and sighed, “You can’t give in that soon.” she stated, it was as though she wasn’t even fully aware of the situation they were in, but that was far from the case. Ymir was just good at remaining calm in trying situations; Mikasa herself was usually renowned for that as well, but what she faced now was beyond even her limits. She was prisoned in the place she feared the most and was quickly falling apart. 

“Do you not understand?” trepidation was apparent in Mikasa’s soft voice as she spoke. “We are going to die here.” the girl was gripped by fear, anguish painted across her face.

“We are if you continue with that attitude.” the taller woman stated matter-of-factly, far too blasé in the Asian’s opinion. 

“How…” the darker haired girl trailed off, “How can you be so calm, knowing that Krista was left behind?” tears sprang to the girl’s eyes and Ymir felt her heart dip at the mention of her lover. 

“I’m not calm.” Ymir murmured, “I’m just trying to be, for my sake as well as Krista’s.” 

“I see,” the Asian girl brought a hand up to run through her hair, forgetting for a fraction of a second that her silky black locks no longer existed, having been shaved off unceremoniously shortly after arriving – the two girls had also been stripped of their clothing, forced to wear a shirt and striped pants, and were given badges, though not the same. Mikasa wore a red triangle, symbolising her status as an ‘enemy of the state’, whereas Ymir was given a brown one after she was identified as being of Roma origin, or as they had put it ‘a gypsy’. 

The harsh reminder struck Mikasa to the core and she didn’t hold back the tears as they began to flood down her cheeks. She brought her legs up to meet her chest and bawled into her knees. Ymir frowned and reluctantly moved closer, hesitating only for a second or two before wrapping an arm around her, 

“Be strong, Mikasa. If you stick this out for a little bit, just until the war ends, you’ll see Eren again…” Ymir groaned, knowing all too well she wasn’t suited for this position. She didn’t want to show that she cared. 

“I wonder what they did with Eren and Armin,” Mikasa spoke through broken sobs, 

“They’ll be with the other men.” Ymir said arduously, Mikasa continued to cry.

“My father died in a prison,” she went on, “I do not wish to suffer the same fate.” 

Ymir stayed quiet, seemingly lost in thought; her own family had been imprisoned for being Roma years ago. She had been lucky to escape capture that time around and felt bitter for winding up suffering the same fate in the end. She heavily doubted she would ever see them again and although she thought of them often, it never became any less painful to remember. Their existence had most likely been wiped off of the face of the earth, and even though she knew the harsh reality of it, sometimes she hoped that maybe one day she would meet them again. But perhaps it wasn’t to be in this lifetime. 

“You won’t. We’ll get out of here alive.” The freckled woman announced with a sudden surge of determination. She had lost her family once, she wasn’t about to lose Historia. Her thoughts wandered off and honed in on the beefy soldier who had spared the petite girl, the reason to why he did such an act plagued the young woman even well after lights out, when it was still and quiet, except for the snores and groans of other inmates and Mikasa's muffled weeping. 

* * *

Reiner Braun led the two boys to be classified and while Eren was told to march on to be stripped and shaved, Armin was held back. The darker haired teen was sent down a different path, uncharacteristically quiet. It was only when the blond boy was almost out of sight that Eren began to protest against the confines of his cuffs and the two guards flanking him. Without being able to see Armin, he became fully aware of the predicament he faced. The separation from his best friend had left him feeling completely torn and he thrashed and screamed after him, “Armin!” 

The boy could be heard long after he disappeared from Armin’s field of view and he prayed to God that Eren would try to conform, shut up for once and spare himself from being beaten or butchered.

“Eren…Mikasa…” their names came out in the sound of a whimper as tears pricked in the corners of his eyes. Armin was smart enough to work out why he wouldn’t be going where Eren and the other male prisoners were. 

_I must meet with him, right?_ _The soldiers would have killed me back at the barn if he hadn’t wanted me alive._ Armin thought carefully, and the image of Annie’s father loomed over him in his mind. That cursed image had haunted him for a decade. _He wants to see me; he wants to deal with me himself._

Armin peered up at the brawny soldier beside him and furrowed his brows, “You know this is wrong.  I know you do.” his voice was surprisingly even considering the circumstances. 

“Be quiet”, Arlert.” Reiner commanded without even giving the boy a glance, Armin complied, not wanting to reveal anything about Krista, but mindful that the solider must have consciously protected the girl. After all, she had been in the house when they had stormed in. 

As the minutes ticked on, it dawned on the boy that he would most likely be dead within the next half hour and although the horror of it was almost crippling, he still persevered with his friends in mind, “I don’t care about myself. But please,” he begged, “ _Please_ let my friends go.” 

“I admire your courage, Arlert but there’s nothing I can do. It’s not my fault, are you forgetting it was little Annie who sold your friends out?” 

Tears spilled over and the boy cursed, “No! She’s…Annie’s a good person.” 

“Ha, Annie is a soldier. No, I think it’s more accurate to label that girl as a warrior. She’s as cold as ice, just like her father. She’s done her duty and that’s all there is to it.” 

“You’re wrong!” Armin raised his voice, “I knew about it, she confessed…she no longer wanted to follow through with it.” 

“Perhaps that is just what she wanted you to believe. Don’t underestimate her.” 

“You’ll see.” he trembled with both fear and rage, “You don’t know the real Annie Leonhart.” the boy choked back another sob and straightened his posture. 

_Annie is a good person. She won’t just sit by and let this happen. I know her, I’ve seen into her soul._

Both young men momentarily froze when they heard the sound of hefty, boot-clad footsteps approaching them from a distance. 

“Ah, he’s here. This is goodbye, Arlert.” 


	26. Chapter 26

**November, 1944**

Winter had fully set in and Annie was worn down by her worries. She _needed_ to know what had come of Armin Arlert, Eren, Mikasa and Ymir. Were they still alive? There was no doubt they would be suffering wherever they were and that thought made Annie wish for death. The young woman was on lockdown since returning to her father, not only was she not allowed to leave her room she was not permitted to talk to anyone either. While the kommandant was busy working he ensured that one of the young soldiers would be on guard to make sure Fraulein Annie couldn't attempt anything—it was much too early for her to gain back her father's trust. It didn't help that she hadn't spoken to him since the day she stood shamefully in his office, it was quite apparent that he was still too disgusted by her treacherous actions. Deep down, Annie knew that all the grovelling in the world, sincere or not, would most likely be in vain. Her father had never been a trusting man, he was a stoic brute and if she had not been his only daughter, she knew he would have sent a bullet right through her skull. Instead of having her work, he had decided to practically cast her out and feed lies about her being so sickly that she was bedridden, at least to everyone with the exception of the few soldiers who were sent to her home. On occasion, Bertolt Hoover would be stationed on guard at the house and although he was better than some of the others who would scrounge about in the kitchen, smoke, drink and play her father's records on the phonograph, she had been reluctant to even look at the lofty soldier after everything. Despite this, she had acknowledged the fact that she needed _someone's_ help. Annie wasn't going to fool herself into thinking she could manage it alone, as much as she would have preferred to.

The problem was, Bertolt refused to speak. A week prior, he had voiced only that he was under the strictest of orders not to communicate with her. The blonde had scoffed upon hearing this; while she may not have been incarcerated in a cramped cell behind bars, she was a prisoner of sorts.

“I suppose you still resent me,” the girl sighed, knowing that he was behind the door that evening. Bertolt's brow twitched into a frown, “You do realise it's pointless following his orders? Everything will fall apart soon and he'll bring you down with him.” There was a long pause and Annie could hear the man shuffle on the other side of the door, “I bet you're biting your tongue right about now.” her lips twitched up into a smirk when she heard the doorknob turn. As much as she resented opening her own mouth after what happened, especially to Bertolt, she had to. She had resigned herself to do anything for Armin, anything to free him.

Annie's crystal like eyes looked up when she heard the soldier enter the room. Bertolt's eyes were downcast as he stood in the door frame, he was so tall his head was just centimetres shy of skirting the top; “I loved you.” his voice was steady but low, Annie remained silent upon hearing the confession. She really didn't want to hear any of this and her eyes turned their attention away from the man to the window where it was sleeting outside, adding a fresh blanket on top of the existing combination of ice, snow and slush. When Annie heard the door close, she cocked her head to the side and faced him once again, “I loved you…I still love you, Annie.” The same fire that was present in his eyes in the barn house was back; it looked as if he wasn't defeated just yet despite the hopelessness of it all. But, the words that would dampen the flame in his heart rested on the tip of Annie's tongue.

“I've made myself clear, I don't love you. If you claim to love me, help me escape this hell and allow me to save not only his life, but the others as well.”

“You're making a fatal mistake” Bertolt yelled, his long face was morphed by pain and anger.

“This conversation is over.” the blonde stated nonchalantly.

Overcome by emotion and tears threatening to spill over his green eyes, Bertolt uttered the words Annie least of all wanted to hear,

“The boy is dead.”

The girl's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach and her body went rigid. A ringing in her ears drowned out the sound of the door clicking shut behind the soldier and she stood there, numb to her core before slowly sinking to her knees. She stuffed her burning hot face into her hands and wasn't sure why the news had shocked her. During the little sleep she had had in the last two and half weeks, she had been plagued endlessly by night terrors depicting the devastating outcome Bertolt had just conveyed.

In the next couple of weeks that passed, Annie sank into a depression. The girl felt drained of every drop of joy she had ever experienced and her self-loathing had reached new heights. Yearning to be free of the pain, she had taken the gun from the cabinet on several occasions and pressed the barrel to her temple, but in the end had placed it carefully back inside and returned to her bedroom. The little she had attempted to eat never stayed down and it was almost as if her body was rejecting life, or so she thought. Annie couldn't have cared less, Armin was dead and she no longer had any reason to be alive, all she wanted was to slowly wither away. Thinking back on her life, she came to a realisation that the only reason she had been able to survive before was because she had recoiled into her shell and locked her heart to the world, but now, there was no hope of returning. Her deep depression didn't even stem from the fact Armin was dead, people died all the time after all. It was because Armin was dead _because_ of her. It was her fault. Part of the reason why she hadn't ended her life already was because death was a cowardly escape and as punishment for what she had done, she deserved to see out the rest of her wretched existence. Another reason was because a part of her was still clinging to the tiny shred of hope she had that Armin was still alive; after all, she hadn't seen his body and couldn't fully trust one of her father's underlings, especially not Bertolt with that kind of information.

It was not until the last week of November, exactly one month after their capture, that something dawned on the young woman.

 _I'm late._ The revelation struck Annie and she knew that this wasn't just a mere coincidence. _I need to find Reiner._ She thought, taking in a deep breath and feeling a tingling sensation in the tips of her fingers as the numbness slowly began to fade away.

* * *

Mikasa had since lost track of the time. All she knew was that it had been forever since she had seen Eren and for that reason, her sanity was hanging by a thread. The days and nights melted into each other, long and monotonous; the freckled young woman stuck by her side but she couldn't help but feel completely alone. A part of her had resigned herself to the fact that she would probably die, yet another part of her wanted to keep on living, to fight.

It was late in the afternoon and Mikasa was feeling frozen as she shovelled snow, her joints stiff and her fingers blue. The chill had set deep in her bones and it sent her back many years ago to her time on the streets. Back then Levi had come to the rescue and although her life had never been pleasant, it was a hell of a lot better than it was now. The girl's mind wandered off, away from the prison and the work she had to do and she thought of the short Frenchman. She missed him so terribly and dreaded to think what he'd make of her now; that man was stronger than anyone she'd known. He had also been a prisoner once upon a time, but had somehow managed to escape. Mikasa eyed the white grounds of the camp and doom loomed over her once again—there was no way out of the hellhole. Guards and guns patrolled every square inch of the place, preventing her from stepping even a toe out of line, let alone fleeing. Her grey spiritless eyes gazed at her surroundings again and she noticed that everyone looked as wearisome as she felt. Ymir was close by, but the Asian's eyes didn't focus on the taller woman; instead, she found herself staring across the icy grounds to the barbed wire fence that separated the men from the women, which was just five metres or so away from where she was working. She often found herself looking over at the other side with the hope of seeing Eren, but it was hard to differentiate anyone as everyone looked the same with their uniforms and haircuts. Even so, her heart would thump a little harder in anticipation every time, praying to whatever god that she'd catch sight of the boy.

“Oi, Mikasa, stop daydreaming. You don't want to get scolded again by one of the guards.” she heard Ymir's voice warn, but Mikasa was only half listening. She eventually reluctantly turned away and her eyes met the snow.

Moments later, she heard the rattle of metal and her head shot up. Mikasa's heart caught in her throat and she dropped the shovel.

“MIKASA!” it was Eren's voice. _Eren_ was _there_. The girl couldn't help but feel as though she was hallucinating, but he called her name again and it was real. His fingers curled around the wire as he thrashed at the barrier between them.

“E-Eren…?”

“ _Mikasa!_ ” Ymir hissed, but it was to no avail. The Asian girl ran at a speed she didn't even know she was capable of in her current state.

“Eren!” tears had already begun to stream down her porcelain cheeks, “Eren…”

“Mika…it's okay. I'm here. It's alright.” the brunet clutched the steel tighter and it started to cut into his flesh but he seemed to be numb to the pain, only wishing to diminish it and embrace her. It wasn't long before anger flared up inside of the teen, “You've lost weight…”

The Asian noticed tears prickling in the corners of his turquoise eyes but said nothing and looked down, only to notice red droplets staining the white snow below. It was then when she was alerted to the state of his hands, “Eren, your hands…don't…”

“Don't worry about me, Mika.” he managed a smile and swallowed away the lump that had formed in his throat, “God, I am so glad to see you…even if it is…like this.”

Mikasa raised her hand to meet Eren's and dismissed the sting from the barbed wire as she clasped hold of his hand through the square shaped gap, “We are so close.” she spoke quietly, the smallest of smiles etched on her face. “You're alive.”

“ACHTUNG! (Attention!)”

Mikasa drew back immediately upon hearing the soldier's order, but Eren's face portrayed his indignation. The animosity he harboured deep within manifested into an angry outburst and by this point, the soldier was right behind him,

“Zurück an die Arbeit, du Stück Scheiße. (Get back to work, piece of shit.)” the man barked but the boy lingered for one second too long,

“We'll see each other again.” the corner of Eren's mouth curved upwards in a sad smile while the guard loomed over him with one of the most menacing looks Mikasa had ever seen a man give.

“Was hab ich dir verdammt noch mal gesagt? Zurück an die Arbeit! (What did I fucking tell you!? Get back to work!)” the soldier yanked the boy by the collar, pulling him away from the fence. The boy stupidly writhed free but only to be knocked to the ground as a result.

“Eren!” Mikasa screamed.

“Wer glaubst du zu sein, meinen Anweisungen nicht zu gehorchen? (Who do you think you are to disobey my orders!?)” the guard booted Eren in the ribs, causing the boy to groan in pain. Seemingly getting a kick out of Mikasa's reaction, the guard continued to pound the boy until blood spluttered out of his mouth, staining the snow red.

“Hört auf! Bitte, hört auf! (Stop! Please! Stop!)” Mikasa shouted from the other side of the fence, utterly helpless as she watched the man beat Eren to a pulp.

“Das hast du davon, du wertloses Stück Dreck. (This is what you get, piece of shit.)” he snarled, the look in his eye was totally evil.

“Argh…” Eren groaned and tried to stand, but the soldier knocked him straight back down.

“Eren…” Mikasa whimpered at the sight of the battered boy, but when she caught the eye of the soldier and saw his devilish grin, darkness swept over her own face and she impulsively thrashed against the fence. “Tut ihm nicht weh! (Don't hurt him!)” she demanded and Eren cried out once again as he was kneed in the face.

The soldier then smirked, brought the boy to his feet and pulled him away from the fence. Mikasa watched as he released him with a push and Eren stumbled to the ground in pain. A firm hand on her own shoulder distracted her from the scene and she too was led away and forced back to the labour she had discarded.

“You were let off lightly.” Ymir murmured under her breath,

“That man will pay.” was all Mikasa had to say. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks and Ymir noticed how her entire body trembled, but it was no longer from the cold but instead an uncontrollable fury that shook her to her very core.

* * *

It was nightfall and Annie's plan was already set into motion. Whoever it was downstairs had since fallen asleep at the kitchen table, not that it mattered either way as the girl had grabbed the gun from the cabinet and wasn't afraid to use it if it came to it. Unfortunately for her, the doors were locked, which meant she had to climb out of window in order to escape. Decked in a headscarf that secured in a tight knot under her chin, her thick winter coat and underneath her uniform—a precaution in case anyone saw her floating about and thought of it as suspicious, she made her way over to the soldier's barracks where Reiner Braun was currently living. There was now no turning back, no matter what the outcome; in her current condition, she knew she wouldn't be able to stay with her father. The blonde gave the door a fierce knock and waited for his response.

“Annie!?” Reiner gaped, unable to mask his surprise, “What are you—?”

“Be quiet.” Annie quickly cut him off, “let me in.” she continued in a low tone.

The broad soldier stepped back and invited the small woman inside. He led her through to his room and Annie removed the scarf from her head in the meantime, revealing her platinum locks.

“If your father knew you were here—” he started, but Annie wasn't in the mood.

“I need your help, Reiner.” her face held a serious yet somewhat calm expression, despite the circumstances. The brawny soldier audibly swallowed and blinked several times, before answering,

“Well that depends, Fraulein Annie. And considering your position, I doubt I can be of any help.” Reiner spoke firmly, “You know the severity of your actions and you must deal with the consequences.” he folded his arms across his chest and straightened himself out, as if trying to assert his power over her.

Annie wasn't taking no for an answer, that much was evident as she whipped out the handgun from her coat pocket and pointed it in the soldier's direction, “Is Armin alive?” her voice cracked a little as she spoke his name, and her heart thrashed as she awaited an answer.

Reiner's eyes widened and he held up his hands rather quickly in response to the girl's threat, there was a long pause and then finally, he released a long drawn out breath, looked her dead in the eye and told her the truth, “Yes,” he sounded exasperated, “He's alive.”

The woman closed her eyes for a brief moment and let out a shaky breath of her own, but her hand remained firm as she continued to hold the gun between her fingers. Reiner's eyes moved from the weapon to Annie and back again, “You wouldn't kill me.” he almost laughed but abruptly stopped when he saw the fierce look in Annie's piercing blue eyes.

“Try me.” she rebutted and thrust the gun forward so that the barrel was now brushing against his chest.

“You can't be serious…” Reiner's confidence was wavering as the girl showed no signs of letting up. Silence filled the air once more before Annie confessed the true reason why she had come to seek his help.

“I'm carrying his child.”

Reiner's brows knitted together in confusion and there was several moments before he said anything, “What!? How…?” he finally uttered.

Annie sighed and lowered the gun after noticing how the young man's golden coloured eyes softened somewhat, “How do you think?” she deadpanned.

Reiner placed a hand to the back of his neck awkwardly, “Right,” he paused again, “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I wouldn't have come to you otherwise.”

The beefy man ran a hand through his short blond hair and sighed, “If,” he began, “If I help you…I'd also be a traitor. I wouldn't be let off the hook like you, because I don't have the privilege of daddy being in charge. I'd be shot. You realise that, right?”

“It's the right thing to do, I know you know it.” Reiner grunted in response. “You made an exception for that girl back at the cottage. I know you did.” the blonde added and watched Reiner's expression turn meek.

“She was young and scared…” he trailed off.

“I can't do this without you.” there was a strong sense of urgency in the girl's voice and it wasn't hard to see how desperate and in need she was. Reiner couldn't think of a time he'd ever seen the young woman so vulnerable and he knew that this boy must have meant a lot more to her than he had ever realised. Perhaps he had never known the real Annie Leonhart.

A minute or so passed while the soldier battled with himself internally and contemplated. He was terribly conflicted and was finding it difficult deciding what he should do. Annie stood and waited, her fingers still clutching around the gun in her right hand. The brawny soldier let out one final sigh and after drawing a deep breath he spoke,

“Alright.”

“Thank you.” Annie declared and immediately slipped the weapon back into her coat pocket.

“What do you want me to do?” he was resolute, Annie could tell by the tone of his voice and the look that shone in his eyes.

“First, we'll head back to the cottage near the town of Mittenwald. We'll get Krista and come back here. We then free Ymir, Armin and his friends Eren and Mikasa.”

“How do you suppose we're going to do that?”

“We'll find a way. They need us to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation credit goes to Sandra, thanks again!


	27. Chapter 27

**November, 1944**

The boy hummed incoherently to himself, the gentle yet eerie sound bounced off of the stone walls, the echo being the only form of company he'd hand in weeks, or however long it had been. He couldn't tell, much like Mikasa, Armin had lost all sense of time since he was thrown into the cell. For a while now it had seemed like he was the only soul down there and the silence that surrounded him coupled with the fact that there wasn't any light, had started to play tricks on even the sharpest of minds. The boy's heart took a dip and his lips slammed shut when he imagined the sound of footsteps over the tune he had composed, he sucked in a breath and held the air in his lungs until he felt dizzy. When nothing more was heard or in the boy's case, when he was no longer hallucinating, he released a deep trembling breath. Armin remained silent after that and raised a hand in front of his face but was unable to see it as he lay supine against the cold hard ground in absolute darkness. After several moments, the back of his hand hit the floor with a thud as he no longer had the energy or strength to hold it up. He was weak. He knew that he was weaker now than he had ever been, both psychically and mentally. He hadn't eaten in what felt like a week and he'd tried to be sick twice in the last day or so. The less he saw of the guards, the better. In the beginning, the boy had tried to manipulate and mess with their minds but that was before he'd become spiritless and the very last ounce of fortitude had been drained from him.

**_One month prior,_ **

Both Armin and Reiner momentarily froze when they heard the sound of hefty, boot-clad footsteps approaching them from a distance.

“This is goodbye, Arlert.” Reiner announced and as he stepped away from the boy, Armin swore he heard the larger male mutter something along the lines of, “ _I'm sorry it has to be like this_.” under his breath.

Even if Armin wasn't hearing things, it made no difference to him now. That being said, it struck him as rather odd. The brawny soldier had captured him and the others against their will and brought him straight into the hands of none other than Annie Leonhart's father himself. How could Reiner possibly be sorry? Armin didn't dwell on it because an extremely muscular man, his width surpassing that of even Reiner, was approaching him at a practically sadistically slow pace. The dreaded reunion had the boy almost quaking in his boots. However, he noticed that the man was not as tall as he remembered and that he was actually shorter than himself, the boy would have paid no heed to this if it were not for the fact that Armin was by no means tall himself. Regardless, the boy's heart was hammering against his chest and when the brute's eyes finally met his, Armin stared straight back into his devilish glare.

 _This man has despised me since I was a child. He's always wanted my family dead,_ he thought, _nothing I say at this point is going to restrain him from unleashing hell upon me. And, if he knows everything, I'm surely done for. All I can hope is that Eren and Mikasa will somehow find their way out of this…_

The boy stood his ground and refused to look away. Staring into Herr Leonhart's eyes was not all that different from looking into Annie's; they were the exact same shade of blue…a piercing blue. There was no doubting she had her father's eyes. Howbeit, unlike in Annie's, Armin could tell that this man had seen abominable things. There was a heinous look in these eyes and under the dim light of the dark hallway, Armin could see an evil flickering, something like a malicious glow in the blue eyes that were looking back into his own.

At this point any fear Armin had previously felt dissipated, whether it was adrenaline or just pure contempt, he couldn't be sure. The boy's large blue eyes seemed to reflect the animosity in the older man's and this unsurprisingly exacerbated Herr Leonhart's fury, who felt like the teen was trying to challenge him in some sort of silent duel. Armin was aware that the man was about to come to his boiling point any second now. The kommandant gritted his teeth and unleashed a low feral growl and in a flash had grabbed the boy by the neck with his gloved hand and had him up against the closest wall. Despite the man's short stature, Armin was thrust up, feet dangling an inch from the ground. The suddenness and the force of the action caused the boy to hack and gasp for air.

Herr Leonhart tightened his grasp, “Not so bold now, are you?” Armin didn't respond, not that he was able to anyway, considering the fact that he was caught in a chokehold. “Did I not tell you to stay away from my daughter?” Armin felt the leather-clad fingers press deeper into his throat, “No?” the boy clenched his fists as he felt the pressure in his head rise, his face already turning blue. “Don't you think for a moment I'm going to let you off easy, boy. You will have a fitting punishment.” With one last ounce of fortitude, Armin clawed at the man's hand, a final attempt at staying alive and prying him off. Herr Leonhart let out a cruel laugh and abruptly dropped the blond who fell limply the ground, coughing and spluttering vigorously as he tried to regain his breath. “You're going to suffer first and then you are going to die. It is, after all, what you deserve.”

After regaining some of his composure, Armin began to quietly caress his neck while his bloodshot eyes looked up, peering straight into the eyes of the bastard standing above him. The kommandant appeared to be utterly repulsed and the boy couldn't help but wince at the pure antipathy that was being directed at him. Armin was simply unable to fathom how a person could harbour so much hatred for another human being. He was certain that he did not have the capacity for it, not even for his enemies.

Herr Leonhart had seemingly had enough of the boy, because in the next second he raised his foot with the intention of knocking Armin out for the count; however he paused momentarily, which the boy noted as rather perverse, if anything it was brutal. As soon as the boot collided with his head, the boy's body sloped downwards and the last thing he remembered was lying on the cold hard ground, his vision spinning and the man above muttering something along the lines of, “Spawn of the devil.”

Armin awoke what he presumed to be several hours later, however instead of the dark hallway he was now slumped over in cramped, dimly lit cell. There were no windows, no bed, nothing but a toilet, four walls and a wooden door that shut out any light that attempted to filtrate. Armin curled up into the foetal position and remained that way for what felt like a long, long time.

* * *

“This is insane, Annie.” Reiner tore his eyes from the road and looked to the blonde in the passenger seat; he looked suddenly apprehensive, it was as if for a moment he'd forgotten he'd agreed to help her.

“Well you're here.” Annie sighed, “You can't change your mind now, we've already gone too far. It'll only be a matter of time before my father realises I'm gone and he'll come looking for you next.”

Reiner frowned, “I wasn't changing my mind. I wasn't even thinking about it,” his amber coloured eyes fixated on dark gravel road ahead, the only source of light being the beams from the car's headlights, “I was just saying that it's insane. Nothing will be the same again after this.”

“Maybe,” the blonde looked at him with blank eyes, “but things will change either way.” She turned her attention back ahead and shuffled in her seat as she shivered.

The soldier observed her discomfort, “Are you cold?”

“I'll be fine.”

“You're carrying a child, you've got to learn to take care of yourself.” the burly man voiced, Annie merely hummed in response. She found the remark to be funny in an ironic way, because she'd never had a problem looking out for herself. If anything, that was something she was good at. Regardless, she knew what Reiner said was right, now more than ever. “I had no idea you were that involved with the kid. I mean, what you did was treacherous. Who is he anyway?” he continued much to the girl's dismay, but for some reason she found herself answering him with more than just a grunt,

“We met when we were little, I barely remember a time before that…” Annie trailed off as memories flashed across her mind, “We shared our childhood together, I was lonely, my father was always stern with me and my mother passed when I was all but a baby. I didn't like the other children and they didn't like me much either…Armin was an exception. Before I knew it, I was in love with him,” a faint, sad smile crept onto the girl's face, “before I even knew what love was.” She added, and a quiet but bitter chuckle escaped her lips.

Reiner kept his eyes on the road, “You didn't know he was a Jew?”

“I didn't care what he was.” Annie snapped, “What does it matter?” the young woman sighed, “Besides, his father wasn't a Jew.” She added, as if it carried any weight.

“No?” Reiner raised his brows and glanced at the blonde, “Turns out I was under the wrong impression, but if you heard the way your father talks about the boy, you'd understand.”

Annie glared at the road ahead in vexation, “The man is draconian.” She spoke through gritted teeth, “He was in the Gestapo back then and knew the ins and outs of every family in our town. He's always taken things too far. He's a purist…the worst kind.”

Reiner laughed, “He's a beast alright.”

“I don't want to talk about him anymore.” She announced and turned away from him, looking out of the window to her left. Her blues eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to make out the passing scenery.

“Alright.” Reiner agreed. Despite it clear that Annie had no more intentions of conversing, the soldier carried on, “So…Arlert,” the man smiled as he teased, “He must be something, to get a cold girl like you to warm up.”

“Reiner, I'm really not in the mood.” Annie leaned back into the seat and fixed her eyes on the roof of the car.

“I mean it though, he really is _something_. He put his life on the line to see you. How far did he travel?”

The girl's heart lurched in her chest at Reiner's words, Armin had risked his life for her and she'd betrayed him. Her mind was suddenly whirling and she felt sick to her stomach, every single negative emotion she'd been trying to suppress had resurfaced.

“He crossed the continent.” she muttered, “I don't deserve him.”

“I was wrong about you, Leonhart.” Reiner spoke after a moment or two, “You're not the bitch I thought you were. You're risking your life for that kid now by doing something absolutely barmy.”

“Are you trying to make me feel better? Because I can tell you now you're failing miserably.” Annie deadpanned,

“I'm just making an observation.”

“If you thought I was a bitch beforehand, why did you decide to help me?” Annie suddenly questioned, pale blue eyes locked on the soldier with his hands on the wheel.

“You're pregnant.” He answered flatly, “I may be a bastard, but I'm not a monster.”

The blonde turned away again and folded her arms across her chest. At that point, she expected the conversation to be over.

“And,” Reiner continued much to Annie's surprise, “I understand how it feels…” he deliberated for several seconds and caught the girl's full attention, “To love someone, a forbidden love.”

Annie frowned at this, “What?”

Reiner kept his amber eyes on the road, “For whatever reason…”

“You're in love with someone?” the blonde asked, her tone significantly softer than before.

The blond male chortled, “You seem surprised.” The woman simply shrugged in response, “It doesn't matter anyway. First of all, they're in love with someone else, secondly much like your love for Armin, it could get me killed.”

Annie studied the man's face for some time before turning away again. If Reiner was implying what she thought he was implying, he was completely right in saying that he would be killed if anyone found out. Knowing this also made her understand his motivations a little better, but she was aware that his emotions may cause problems in the future.

A silence fell upon the car at that point and Reiner drove on without speaking another word. Annie knew that she should be a little more appreciative of him, but even so, she couldn't help but feel uptight. Reiner Braun was unstable, but she supposed he wasn't fickle. She wasn't sure what his deal was, nor did she have time to worry about it. The person first and foremost on her mind was Armin and at that moment, her main concern was Reiner suddenly switching sides again. It would become increasingly difficult if Bertolt was to somehow get involved and Annie knew it was practically inevitable that he would at some point, considering that those two were joined at the hip. Truth was, she didn't really have a plan past retrieving Krista; there were so many different outcomes, so many challenges to face and it all hinged on how the next set of events would unfold. It was now a game of luck more than anything else and it was times like this that she wished Armin was by her side, because he was probably the only one who could come up with a strategy—one that would have far less likelihood of failing. The young woman looked down at her lap and subconsciously placed a hand over her stomach, feeling anxiety ridden yet heedful of the fact that it wasn't good for her health. They drove on and both noted how it was a good sign that nobody was following them. It seemed like forever before the young woman recognised the woodland that backed onto the barn; the dilapidated cottage was so far-flung and it didn't help that everything was now covered under a white sheet of snow, not to mention it was practically pitch black if not for the natural light of the moon and the car's headlights.

“Pull over here.” Annie ordered, Reiner complied and swerved the vehicle down a narrow path; as the car noisily pulled up in front of the cottage, nothing stirred. It was dark. Annie's heart immediately took a dip, what if Krista was no longer there? What if something had happened to her? Was she okay? Perhaps she was just asleep; it was deep into the night after all.

“Shall I wait in the car?” Reiner asked, interrupting the girl's thoughts.

“Why?” Annie shot Reiner an incredulous look, “Don't tell me you're going to let a small, frail girl like me go in there alone?” the young woman rolled her eyes and stepped out of the car, shutting the door with a light thud that shook the vehicle slightly.

Reiner raised his brows, “ _Frail_?” he murmured under his breath as he lifted himself from the car and reluctantly followed Annie's lead.

When they reached the entrance, the first thing Annie noticed was that the door was off its hinges and was propped up against the frame, slightly ajar.

The girl looked up at Reiner with raised brows, “You kicked the door in?”

“Nobody was answering.” He mumbled defensively.

As Annie lifted the wooden door to the side and entered the cottage a freezing cold gust of wind followed her inside. The room was like ice and the girl wondered how anyone could live in such bitter conditions. Reiner was right on Annie's heels after taking the liberty of fetching a flashlight from the staff car and as the soldier shone light on the tiny house, the young woman observed that it was scarce of dust, which suggested that Krista, or someone was around. After scanning the ground floor for minute of two Annie walked up to the old piano and traced a finger over the keys; she could almost hear the old tunes Armin had played for them and her heart felt melancholy. However, the girl soon quashed the feeling and decided to divert her attention to the (most likely not completely stable) staircase; she looked up at Reiner and he nodded in acknowledgement before proceeding to make his way to the second floor, where three small bedrooms were.

“I wonder who lived here before you lot took it over,” Reiner mumbled,

Annie said nothing though the same thing had crossed her mind two months ago. She came to the conclusion that regardless of whatever had happened, the cottage had been abandoned for quite some time. The two hadn't even reached the landing when a door swung open from upstairs, revealing a ghost of the girl Annie had known. Reiner stopped in his tracks and shone the flashlight directly at Krista who had moved from the bedroom and was now standing at the top of the staircase, barefoot in a grubby looking white nightdress. She was stick thin and her once shiny golden locks were now greasy and limp, as they stuck to the side of her face. Annie was one step ahead of Reiner and observed the vacant look in the girl's eyes as she stared down at them blankly; the petite girl was now gaunt looking, the skin around her face sunken in, her cheekbones protrusive and her lips had visible cracks in them, mostly likely due to dehydration. Even under the light of the torch, it was evident that any colour the girl had previously had had vanished and her skin was now white as a sheet.

“Krista.” Annie didn't move and waited for the small woman to acknowledge her; she was clearly in a bad way and it was highly feasible that if she or Reiner made any sudden movements, it could startle her. The way she was looking down at her gave Annie the impression that she didn't even recognise her, that being said there was no air of confusion on her part, which made Annie think otherwise. Krista didn't open her mouth and her expressionless eyes wandered to the broad man standing one step below, yet still towering over Annie.

“Where is Ymir?” she addressed the male soldier, her tone not matching her reticent face. Reiner swallowed away a lump that had caught in his throat upon being asked a question he couldn't really answer. “You took her away…I saw you, but I also remember there was another one.” The blonde continued with a slightly raised and unsteady voice. When nobody said anything, the girl turned her attention back to the woman, “Annie…whose side are you on?”

“No-ones” Annie replied coolly, “I only have one aim and that is to get Armin back along with his friends and Ymir. I'll side with anyone who's willing to help me. As for him,” the blonde gestured over her shoulder at Reiner, “He's here to help.”

Krista's blue eyes moved back to Reiner, “Why didn't you take me back then? I don't understand. Why did you leave me, but take Ymir away?”

“I don't know.” Reiner huffed, feeling hot under the collar.

“Is she even alive? I won't go with you for the other's sake alone.” Krista glowered at the two, her hostility contrasted heavily with her usually sweet demeanour.

“Yes.” Annie answered quickly. Although she wasn't certain about Ymir's status, or Eren and Mikasa's for that matter, she knew admitting that to Krista would get them nowhere. The girl that stood above them was now a shell of her former self; the ordeal had clearly taken its toll and grief had consumed her. “I'm sorry for what's happened, Krista, it was my fault and I was a coward.” The blonde paused briefly, “Who knows, maybe this idea of mine will fail and we'll be shot for our crime. But,” Annie looked Krista dead in the eye, “I know you understand.”

“My name isn't Krista. It's Historia.” The girl finally spoke in return, “Historia Reiss.”

Both Annie and Reiner shot each other a glance and the man piped up, “Reiss?” Historia nodded. “You're part of the Reiss family? Kommandant Rod Reiss is extremely high up in the ranks,” Reiner spoke hurriedly, almost in disbelief that this man's daughter of all people was a traitor, hiding away with her lover in the middle of nowhere while the fatherland was at war.

“I couldn't run the risk of anyone finding out my real identity. If my father discovered I was still alive, I wouldn't be able to stay with Ymir…not that it matters anymore. I'm not even sure if he's alive himself,”

“He is.” Annie cut in, “He's a bastard, living a cushy life alongside the man in charge as we speak. It's not like he's out fighting on the front lines. I seem to recall you mentioning you have royal blood…seems like your father, Kommandant Reiss, is the type of person who yearned for the power he lost and managed to crawl his way back up to the top, probably by bribing.”

“Well…that may be true.” the girl exhaled a shaky breath, “But, as I am coming with you, I would like you to refer to me by my real name. When I'm reunited with Ymir again, I don't want to be anyone else but myself.”

Annie gave her a nod and with the newfound knowledge, was already considering the possibility of using Historia's real identity to their advantage. However, she kept the information at the back of her mind as she had already come up with a plan for the petite girl—one that ran less risk of causing her any harm.

It wasn't long before the tiny girl was sitting in the back of the black car. All she had done was slip on a pair of boots as Reiner had been quick to offer up his jacket which she was now drowning in, considering the size difference between the two. As the vehicle pulled away from the cottage, leaving behind tracks in the snow, Annie caught a glimpse of Historia's emaciated face in the rear-view mirror and felt a pang of guilt, knowing that the absence of Ymir had caused the girl to lose the will to live. It was painfully obvious to see that she had been starving herself and despite the revelation that Ymir was alive and that she would soon be with her once more, her blue eyes were still somewhat lifeless and she reminded Annie of an old porcelain doll she had kept as a young child.

Annie eventually tore her eyes away from Historia and focussed them on the road ahead. If they were able to get back before dawn, her plan would run _relatively_ smoothly, or so she thought. It was imperative for all three to remain calm alert and most importantly devoted, for the next few hours were crucial.


	28. Chapter 28

**November, 1944**

The sun had not yet risen when they arrived back in Dachau; the stars above were shrouded by grey clouds, but despite the darkness, the birds were awake and singing in the nearby trees which signalled that it was no longer night. It was a gloomy morning, the three of them were absolutely exhausted and looked it—Annie had deep set dark rings beneath her eyes, Reiner’s stubble was already growing back and Historia looked like an orphan they’d picked up off the street. The time read 0:4:55 according to the soldier’s wristwatch and being winter, the sun didn’t usually rise until just before seven o’clock in the morning. 

Two hours was surely enough time, wasn’t it? Reiner seemed to think so, but Annie was sceptical. It had already been four and a half hours since the plan had commenced and although the blonde woman considered it advantageous that Reiner was so easy to coax, in honesty, she had relied on him being that way. The point was she would have liked to have had more time before dawn; primarily because there were fewer guards on watch while everyone slept and Annie knew this for a fact. What’s more, escaping with prisoners in broad daylight would be extremely difficult to pull off. Time was of the essence and both Reiner and Historia were fully aware of this, given that the girl spent the last two hours drumming it into their minds.

The burly soldier switched off the engine and Annie discarded her overcoat in the backseat of the car before stepping out and closing the door gently behind her, “Reiner, you know where to meet me. If I am unable to reach Armin for whatever reason, please take it upon yourself to get him out…by any means necessary.”

The blond man gave Annie a stiff nod and had started to walk away when a small hand reached out and grabbed hold of his sleeve,

It was Historia and her face was deadly serious, “If you don’t bring Ymir back, just know that I will.” she spoke sharply. The petite girl then removed the coat he had given her earlier and held it out expectantly, however, her face softened before she added in a far more delicate tone, “Danke sehr, Herr Braun.”

Reiner froze as a vacant expression drifted over his face and Historia’s beautiful features filled with a smile for the first time in what seemed like an eternity—realistically speaking, since Ymir had been taken away. The brawny man was conscious of the fact that she was not only thanking him for giving up his coat, but for putting himself at risk by agreeing to help save the tall freckled woman whom she obviously held close to heart. However, there had been something so desperate, almost frighteningly so, about the look on her face when she had delivered that line about taking matters into her own hands if he were to fail. That being said, Historia’s expression wasn’t quite able to rival the daunting looks Annie was capable of. Needless to say, several awkward moments passed by before Reiner took the coat from her and swiftly slotted his arms into the sleeves; the young man hastily fastened the buttons and patted down his chest and torso to remove any creases, before he acknowledged the girl with a simple salute. His golden eyes then flitted back to Annie and they held each other’s gaze for second or two before he headed off towards the building where the uniforms and other supplies were stored.

It was then when Annie motioned for Historia to follow her and the two walked to the Leonhart residence; in all, it was about a ten minute walk away. The house was far too large for only two people and had recently been gated with a three hundred metre high metal fence. This would have proved to be highly problematic if not for the fact that the back gate hadn’t been locked, which provided Annie with both means of escape and access.  The taller of the two blondes stated they would enter through a window at the rear of the house and Historia wordlessly complied. But before making their way to the back, Annie made sure to creep around the anterior. When she saw that there weren’t any fresh footprints in the snow, she was content to go on but bore in mind that the snow both worked to and against her advantage.

It turned out that the window she had jumped out of earlier had blown open further and by this point, the blonde was fairly confident that her father had not been back to the house. The guard was presumably still slumped over the kitchen table out like a light and Annie mentally scoffed at the absurdity of it all,

_The German army is supposedly the most competent in the world and this guy isn’t even capable of keeping an eye on a teenage girl._

Without another thought, the nimble girl climbed in through the window. Historia followed directly behind, her tiny frame making the process pretty much effortless. Once inside, the girls silently made their way down the corridor and tiptoed past the sleeping guard, who as Annie had guessed, was still hunched over the breakfast table. Annie guided the blonde up the dark staircase, tentative of each step to avoid the creaks and squeaks. 

“Stay in bed and rest if you can.” she spoke in a hushed tone once they had entered the bedroom, “Don’t worry about the guard, he’ll be too drunk to tell us apart.”

“What about your father?” Historia whispered back.

“He hasn’t so much as looked at me in weeks.”

“I see.”

There was a slight pause and silence fell upon the room, but Annie wasn’t about to linger, “Thank you for agreeing to do this, Historia.” She spoke up, her voice still quiet as ever, “If my father believes I am still locked up in here, it will buy us a lot of time.”

“I only wish I could have been of more use…”

Annie simply shook her head, dismissing the comment. “If anything goes wrong, don’t hesitate to get yourself out.” She carried on, “You have my word when I say we won’t leave you behind.”

Historia nodded and just as Annie was about to leave, the smaller girl whispered her name and uttered, “I really hope what you said was true, about Ymir being okay, that is.”

Annie felt a pang in her heart but kept up her mask, her crystal like eyes briefly met with Historia’s and then trailed down to her brown shoes,

“And, Annie,” the girl’s voice was barely above a whisper and two pairs of blue eyes met once more, “Remember that what I said to Herr Braun still stands.”

“Do what you need to do.” Annie responded in a low voice, before she swiftly turned on her heels and exited the room, disappearing into the darkness of the hallway.

* * *

Reiner stepped out of the storage room with a large sack flung over his shoulder and considered himself lucky that he hadn’t bumped into anyone while rummaging through the supplies. After all, it would have seemed strange to even the densest of soldiers. Fetching the uniforms was the more straightforward part of the plan, though. There had to have been more than thirty barracks at the prison and the soldier couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed, amongst many other things. The confidence he had previously felt had dissipated; a part of him couldn’t help but wonder why the hell he’d agreed to do any of this, considering all the trouble he’d been through trying to capture the teens in the first place. Yes, Annie was pregnant with the Arlert’s child, but, in all honesty, what did that have to do with him?

_I spent weeks searching for these convicts with Bertolt under the orders of Kommandant Leonhart and now I’m going out of my way to rescue them. It hardly makes any sense, if at all. To top it off, I accused Annie of being a traitor and now look at me. I’m nothing but a hypocrite._

The blond shook off the feeling and continued on, leaving a trail of large footprints behind, spoiling the sheet of untouched snow. He spared a glance at his wristwatch and it read a quarter past five; by this point it was likely Annie was already on her way to Armin, and with that in mind, Reiner’s march picked up pace. When he reached the solemn looking building, the blond knew there wasn’t much point in being quiet. If anything, that would only arouse suspicion and waste time. So, the burly soldier stormed in on the silent sleeping quarters and without any hesitation barked at the top of his lungs,

“EREN JÄGER!”

One inmate almost fell from a cramped bunk after the abrupt awakening. Another boy jumped out of bed suddenly as if ready to start work, while the rest of the prisoners seemed dazed, disorientated and confused as they rubbed at their eyes. That being said, none of them were surprised by the sudden intrusion, the guards often did as they pleased. Reiner could smell the fear emanating from them and wrinkled his nose slightly, when he realised that Eren was not there, he turned his back on them and left swiftly, but not before ordering the young man who had hopped out of bed to get back in it.

The role of the soldier had once again taken hold.

It went like this over and over, until beads of nervous sweat trailed down past his temple and his voice grew hoarse from repetitively yelling the inmate’s name. And then finally, a thin boy stepped forward and the soldier’s golden eyes locked with the deep, fiery ones of the young man. Green and blue whirled together to create a unique turquoise and a mix of emotions flared, fierce and intense. Reiner recognised those eyes instantly. Eren scowled, recognising the blond man a second later as the bastard who was in cahoots with Annie, the man who had captured him and his friends and landed him here to die. After recalling the scuffle back at the cottage, the blond was surprised Eren hadn’t opened his mouth; it was apparent he had learnt his lesson, undoubtedly the hard way.

Reiner let out an audible sigh and took a step closer. All eyes were on the two men as the brawny man approached the teen and placed a firm hand on his shoulder,

“I didn’t think I’d see your ugly face again. What do you want with me?” Eren snarled.

The blond’s face twitched at the remark, it was evident that the boy had clearly _not_ learnt anything after all, or maybe he no longer cared. “If you want to live, I’d shut my mouth if I were you.” Reiner retorted. He pushed the boy forward, his gloved hand still clamped down on the boy’s shoulder.

The atmosphere changed drastically at that point and dread filled the air, the prisoners assumed the kid had done something wrong and was about to receive punishment; they didn’t expect to see him again. No soul dared make a sound as they watched the boy being led out of the barracks with a grimace fixed on his gaunt face.

Once they had exited the building, the blond dumped the sack he’d been carrying on the ground,  
  
“Get into these and hurry.”

Eren looked to the hessian sack and stared at it, after about a second or two he piped up with a perplexed look plastered across his face, “You what?”

“We don’t have the time for this.” The blond man sounded exasperated, “Armin and Mikasa are waiting for you.” he figured playing that card would work and it did, because the boy’s eyes widened and his mouth fell agape, a fraction of a second later he was stripping down and replacing the stripes with an SS uniform, topped off with a hat to cover his shaved head. It was loose, but it’d do.

Eren was in a daze. The tips of his fingers tingled as adrenaline rushed through his veins; his vision a blur, unable to focus on the bleak surroundings as he floated behind the sturdy man towards the female side of the camp. His heart rattled against his chest like a bird in a cage and a part of him couldn’t quite believe what was going on. For once in his life, he was stunned into silence.

He agreed to obey the orders Reiner had dished out before entering, about being quiet and to stand behind him, but once he stepped inside the sleeping quarters, it seemed his feet had a mind of their own. He was instantly drawn to her; the soldier needn’t have called out her name, needn’t have woken anyone up. Eren simply followed the red string of fate that had bound them together that night in Munich.

Mikasa shot up out of bed in pure disbelief, “E-Eren?”

The boy placed a trembling finger over his cracked lips, “Ssh”, the corners of his mouth then curved up into a small smile. At that moment, Mikasa realised what was going on and without hesitating, turned to the woman beside her and shook her out of her slumber. Apparently she hadn’t heard Reiner nor was affected by the flashlight he was carrying.

Groggy and irritated, Ymir rubbed at her eyes, “Why’d you wake me? What time is it?” she grumbled, but was alarmed when she noticed two SS guards.

“Wake up Ymir. We need to get out of here, _now_.” The Asian girl breathed, only causing more confusion.

Ymir sat up and her vision came into focus; under the bright light emitting from the torch, she discerned two familiar faces: first Reiner Braun and then Eren. She didn’t need to be asked a second time and practically jumped out of the bed. Some of the women stirred due to the light, but most of them slept, unaware of the events unfolding around them.

The blond soldier tossed them both a uniform and gave a slow, stiff nod of the head; Eren was then pulled away so that they could change and the two men waited outside the barracks. Ymir clambered into the clothes, while the darker haired girl forced her limbs into the garments swiftly yet gracefully. A minute or so later, the women joined the boys outside.

Mikasa immediately flung herself into Eren’s arms with a force that almost knocked him off of his feet. The boy returned the embrace and held her tight; he soon found tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill. The girl had already started whimpering, but the sound was muffled as she cried into the boy’s neck. Reiner allowed them to have a moment, but no more. It wasn’t daybreak and the grounds were still dark, but it didn’t mean they were safe.

“You’ve only gone and done it,” Ymir cracked a smile at Reiner, who remained stone-faced, “I knew you’d have a change of heart.” She adjusted the hat on her head in a self-assured manner, despite everything. 

“We need to get away from here.” Reiner diverted the conversation to more important matters.

“Where’s Armin?” Eren interrupted and looked to the soldier. A serious look swept across his face, his brows furrowed forming a V shape.

“Annie.” Mikasa deduced before Reiner had the chance to reply.

“Fraulein Annie is on her way to Arlert’s cell as we speak.” He confirmed.

“Bring me to him.” Eren demanded, his demeanour unwavering.

“I can’t do that.” was Reiner’s curt response, immediately igniting a flame within the boy.

Mikasa placed a light hand on top of Eren’s shoulder; her touch alone seemed to calm him down, “Eren, we are in no position to argue right now.”

The brunet’s temper melted away as reason washed over him. He knew he had to put his faith in Annie Leonhart whether he liked it or not. While he didn’t trust her as a person, he _did_ trust her love for Armin. He’d seen them together; there was simply no denying it. Reiner, on the other hand was a different kettle of fish. The teen couldn’t help but wonder why the hell the brawny soldier had had a change of heart. He’d gone against orders, got them out and provided them with uniforms; it didn’t appear to be a trap, his actions seemed sincere…but…

“Follow my lead.” Reiner ordered, derailing Eren’s train of thought. Mikasa began to follow and the boy was right behind. However, the freckled woman wasn’t quite satisfied. She latched onto Reiner’s arm and leaned forward so that her face was merely centimetres from his, “You busted us out and that’s great, but aren’t you forgetting about someone?” her voice was low, “The girl you left behind? I know you did it on purpose, don’t even think about denying it,” she continued, closer, and her breath tickled the soldier’s cheek.

Reiner swatted her away, “ _Historia_ is well.” he stated, “In fact she’s here—”

An incredulous look spread across the woman’s face and her hold on the man’s arm tightened almost painfully, “You brought her _here_!? What are you, insane!?”

“Maybe I am.”

Ymir raised an eyebrow and loosened her hold on his arm; the blond soldier walked on ahead and she watched his back for several moments before joining him.

 _Perhaps a little bit of crazy is just what we need_ , she thought.

* * *

Annie knew that the cells for ‘special prisoners’ were in the bunker, not that she’d ever been down there. Reiner had explained that Armin had been put there pretty much upon arrival and that’s where he had stayed. It was a harsh punishment, which typically involved leaving the prisoners in total and utter darkness for long periods of time, or having them stand for hours on end, from what she had heard. It was quite possibly worse than the labour the other inmates were subjected to. The thought of Armin being down there all this time filled her with remorse, so much so that she was completely consumed by it. The girl would never be able to forgive herself for what her actions had put the boy through, but, she had vowed to do everything in her power to try and put things right.

Perhaps by now Reiner had reached the others, and, as she made her way down into the bunker she found herself clinging to a shred of hope she hadn't thought she possessed. The world was shit after all, and she wasn't anticipating a happy ending. But, if there was a way of freeing Armin from this hell, then, and only then, there was a chance for her redemption.

The sound of the young woman’s heels clacking against the tiled floor echoed throughout the maze of corridors. She hadn’t passed any guards so far, but she was certain there would be some up ahead and if she was wrong, she’d probably laugh. An amalgamation of emotions welled up in her chest as she got deeper and closer to where Armin was being kept; she was afraid, but her mask was impeccable, as usual.

Annie finally arrived at the cells but was separated from them by a steel gate; she gave it a push but the chain around the latch simply rattled against the metal as she shook it. Evidently, it was locked, and she didn't have the key. "Dammit," Annie murmured and peered through the bars. Her eyes followed the long narrow path, thick wooden doors on each side. It was grim and dimly lit, but she could clearly see the figure of a guard sitting at the end, his head stooped down towards his chest, snoozing on the job.

The blonde cleared her throat, “Attention!”

The guard’s head shot up at once and he rose from his seat, as he approached her Annie moved a strand of ashen hair from her face and inhaled a deep breath. This was it.

“Yes?” he sounded somewhat irritated, as if she had awakened him from a sweet dream. When the man was halfway down the aisle and the young woman came into view, he realised with horror just who he was talking to. “Helferin Leonhart. My apologies.” At that, he clicked his heels and saluted her.

“Enough with the formalities,” she spoke coolly, “I’m under direct orders from Kommandant Leonhart. Open this gate.”

The guard gave her a nod and began rummaging in his pocket; he didn’t dare question her, believing that the kommandant himself was involved. Several moments later he produced the key and slotted it into the lock. Annie already had her hands on gate, her fingers wrapped tightly around the bars. The second the gate was unbolted, she drove it into the guard with all the force she could muster with the intention of knocking him out then and there.

He fell backwards and cupped his bleeding nose, “Argh!” Unfortunately it hadn’t done the trick, “What do you think you’re doing!?” he exclaimed as he brought himself to his feet. Splotches of blood dropped to the ground and a sigh escaped Annie’s lips.  

_Looks like I’m going to have to do this the hard way._

With one swift kick, the guard was knocked off his feet and hit the ground with a thump. Annie smiled to herself, thinking that her father’s lessons had come back to bite him. The blonde moved her head, gracefully letting her hair fall back into place and then neatened out her skirt; her breathing may have been slightly heavier than normal, but she quickly managed to compose herself. The blonde then bent down to rummage through the guard’s jacket pockets for the rest of the keys and patted him down in search for his weapon.

When Annie found what she was looking for, she stepped over his body with poise, as not to touch him. She wondered if the little kerfuffle had stirred any guards nearby, but apparently, nobody had heard a thing.

There was now nothing standing in her way, and knowing this, she took a step forward and called out his name,

“Armin?”

 


End file.
